The Roles we Play
by AngelSlayer135
Summary: When the Titans were formed, they knew each others roles on the team and in their family... Or do they? After all in his lifetime a man will play many parts.
1. Setting the Stage

**The Roles we Play**

Setting the Stage

***I do not, nor have I ever owned the Teen Titans. ***

 _"All the world's a stage. And all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances. And one man in his time plays many parts." -William Shakespeare_

Timeline is quite a while after 'Things Change' excluding Trouble in Tokyo, with some minor changes added in.

 _***TrwP***_

A moan echoes through the dimly lit room followed by another gasp. A feminine voice giggles out in excitement while the owner caresses her lover.

"M-more, harder."

A man chuckles before obliging the request, putting his hands on either side of the woman to allow himself better leverage.

A few more moments of the constant thrusting before the man reaches his peak, sighing with contentment before rolling down onto the bed next to his lover.

Raven pants heavily, catching her breath and waiting for her vision to come back into focus as she gazes at her two companions.

Starfire giggles before crawling onto the man's other side, snuggling up to his torso.

"Not bad eh?" the masculine voice calls out to the winded teen next to him.

"Very very good." The girl admits.

Again Robin smirks before closing his eyes and falling asleep next to his two lovers.

 _***TrwP***_

The resident changeling of the tower growled out before glancing over at his alarm clock.

The 'lovebirds' had been going at it again tonight, which of course meant that he would get at most an hour or so of sleep.

The problem was not that their 'activities' lasted a long time, Beast Boy had to smirk as Robin was certainly not known for his stamina, but rather the fact that with the Boy's ultra sharp senses he could hear them from virtually anywhere in the tower. The sounds would instantly excite the animal portion of his brain and wake him up from even the deepest sleep.

Then there were the scents that the 'fun' would produce.

With a sense of smell almost as strong as a bloodhound the entire tower would reek of their 'bonding' for hours if not days, just long enough for them to get in another round.

Thankfully they kept their nightly activities confined to Robin or Starfire's rooms, which allowed the green skinned boy to simply avoid that corner of the tower at all costs.

Unfortunately the smells stuck to them like bad hair gel, which meant that all three would be almost intolerable to the poor boy for at least a day or so.

Ironically it was when Beast Boy's name came up for the nightly solo patrol that he would actually feel rested. Not that he slept during it but his animal instincts allowed him to switch into a 'cruise control' state which flying allowing him to rest his brain while the baser thoughts took control until he needed to act. It had been a skill developed during his time with the Doom Patrol and was one of the many things that Beast Boy had been grateful for being taught.

Knowing that he had absolutely no chance of going to sleep in his room he decided to fall back onto one of his backup plan for nights like these, laying on the couch with the T.V. on to try and lull him to unconsciousness.

 _***TrwP***_

The next morning found the young changeling still lying on the couch. After another couple of hours of restlessness he had managed to pass out for a few hours before being woken up by Robin's ever early morning routine.

Grumbling in annoyance the younger boy sat up and stretched out his stiff body. How in the hell someone trained by the legendary 'Dark Knight' managed to make so much damn noise making a cup of coffee in the morning he would never understand.

"Oh good morning Beast Boy, fall asleep during another one of your late night movie marathons?"

"Yeah something like that."

"Well I hope you got enough rest, it is going to be an exciting training day for everyone today!" The Titan leader happily exclaimed before sitting down to browse the news on his laptop.

'Oh joy, I would ask why he is in such a good mood but I would rather not know to be honest. Plus he hasn't even showered yet, dude still reeks of… that.'

"Don't worry Rob, I am always on my 'A game' you know that." The green skinned teen happily exclaimed before making his way toward his room, wanting to change before the start of all the "fun".

 _***TrwP***_

At around seven thirty the five Titans gathered in the training room for their morning routines. Normally this would involve each of them splitting off into the various sections to do exercises specific for their powers but once a week Robin would insist on doing sparring sessions along with the normal activities, claiming that he wanted to keep the team informed of each other's capabilities.

'It's really just a way for him to show off though.' Beast Boy had realized. 'After all the only one he ever spars with is me and that is just designed to beat me down and prove he's the best.'

After a half hour or so of intense exercise, weight lifting for Cyborg and Robin, aerobics for Beast Boy, and aerial maneuvers for Raven and Starfire, Robin called the team together for their sparring match ups.

Just as predicted Robin and Beast Boy were paired up. This left the two female Titan's to engage in a long ranged battle while Cyborg monitored everyone's progress, and recovered from his night of patrolling.

"All right Beast Boy same rules as usual, no powers and no gadgets or weapons. We need to give you a backup should you ever find yourself in a situation where you can't shape shift."

"Okay Robin" The boy replied, before assuming the combat stance that Robin had forced him to use early on in their training. The problem was that it simply copied the Boy Wonder's own combat style, meaning that Robin would always have the advantage since he had been trained in it for far longer and was adapted to it.

The spar never took more than a few minutes, with his leader progressively getting more and more cocky and aggressive as the fight wore on and the green teenager got pummeled.

Soon he was forced to tap out with due to one of his opponents submission holds, the preferred way for said boy to win since it forced the loser to surrender willingly.

"Not bad Beast Boy, still not close to beating me but that is to be expected after all." The victor cockily added before turning his gaze to the two females who had taken to destroying their part of the arena.

"Alright girls, that's enough I am calling this one a draw due to damages, along with both of your substantial skills." Robin called out, immediately ending the other battle.

'Of course, that way he proves that he is the only winner once again.' Beast Boy thought as fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Well alright yall everybody did pretty darn good, improvements all around and you know what that means… IM MAKIN WAFFLES!" Cyborg exclaimed with glee.

Just then the alarm sounded in the tower, informing the inhabitants of a crime taking place.

"Sorry Cyborg but that will have to wait." Robin commanded as he raced upstairs with the rest of the Titans.

 _***TrwP***_

As the five superheroes arrived on the scene it was immediately apparent what Overload had been planning. It had formed its own robotic army using various electronic and metal parts and was currently raiding an electronics store to gain even more. Currently its army was at least thirty strong and growing.

"Alright team here's the plan. I will go after Overload and take him out, Cyborg and Beast Boy will engage his makeshift army and keep them distracted while Starfire and Raven will control the situation from the air, making sure the civilians stay out of harm's way and lending aide if you two need it."

"Of course Robin, let us go Raven." Immediately the two females took to the sky, with Raven making makeshift barricades along the street to contain their enemies and Starfire helping to evacuate a bus full of civilians.

Meanwhile Cyborg began unleashing sonic blasts while Beast Boy charged straight forward changing, into a T-Rex, and intending on creating a large distraction.

Robin, on the other hand, swung in to the store directly, unleashing a barrage of explosive discs and confronting the villain.

 _***TrwP***_

"You okay over there BB?" Cyborg called to his companion as he noticed a dozen of the soldiers climbing all over his T-Rex form.

Unfortunately it appeared as though despite spinning rapidly the boy was unable to throw them off and was slowly being weighed down by more and more of the robots, until several began to glow and created an electrical shock, forcing the changeling to reverse back to his human form and sending the mechanized creatures falling to the ground.

"B!" The mechanical man shouted, as he barreled through the large gathering of soldiers, desperately trying to reach his friend.

Thankfully a few seconds later the machines shut down and fell apart, their power source and will being cut off with Overload's defeat at the hands of their leader with aide from the two female members of the team.

"Hey man you alright?" the large cybernetic man asked his friend.

"I'll be fine, just got a nasty shock from the jerks."

"You two okay?" Robin shouted from the destroyed store entrance.

"Yeah I think BB was electrocuted by them though, he's still a bit shaken."

Nodding in acceptance Robin returned to the attention of the two female Titans, who were busy fretting over their secret love interest.

'Seriously how does Cy not suspect anything is going on between those three, or maybe he knows and just doesn't want to make a big deal out of me being the only single one of the team?' the green skinned boy pondered.

 _***TrwP***_

After the authorities had arrived and detained the A.I. the Titans returned to their tower for the battles debriefing.

"Nice work today everyone, there are certainly room for improvements. Raven good thinking with forming the barricades and Starfire, I believe you accuracy has improved since the last battle. Cyborg you and Beast Boy need to work on the cooperation between you two in a battle. Since the battle was fairly easy on everyone though I want to do another short training session before we have a late lunch." Receiving only groans for his statement as the team made their way back to the training room.

"Okay team nothing major this time, today we will be working just on accuracy. The fight showed us that we need to be both accurate and precise especially when there could be civilians in the area. Beast Boy since you have no ranged capabilities I want you to work on something a bit different."

Taking the boy aside Robin walked the youngest member of their team to a nearby punching bag, not noticing the slight hesitation in his team mates eyes.

"Okay Beast Boy I want you to work on your hand to hand combat skills while we train, since we now know you can't always rely on animal forms you need to have a backup ability."

"Uh you know I don't really do well with the boxing thing Robin, couldn't I work on something else instead like… trashing training droids or something?"

"No can do Beast Boy everyone needs to have a backup way of fighting should our powers not be effective, and it is clear to villains that you are the weakest link in this regard." Again the changeling appeared nervous but this time it was picked up on.

Letting out a deep sigh the leader decided that a compromise was in order, seeing as how his reluctance was starting to draw attention from the other members of the team.

"Okay how about this, if give it your all with no transformations for five minutes then you can choose the movie tonight."

"Come on Beast Boy quit acting like such a child and just do the training already. I have no interest in spending anymore of my free time in a sweaty gym than need be." Raven called out, her irritation towards the young boy apparent.

"Yeah come on BB just hit the thing, unlike Robin it won't beat you up when you try." Cyborg teased, earning a giggle from the Tameranean.

"Oh yes Beast Boy do the punching of the bag."

Robin only smiled at the young boy's predicament before moving off to his own training area as the other Titans turned to theirs.

Reluctantly Beast Boy began hitting the large training device in front of him, giving half hearted boxing combos while focusing on every blow like Robin had been trying to teach him for some time.

'Naturally the all gang up on me again, anytime someone sees the chance to laugh at me it becomes all against me. Sometimes I think Robin does it on purpose.'

"Let's go Beast Boy, pick up the pace I said 'give it your all' remember?" Robin reminded him, apparently watching from the corner of his eye.

'Trying to assert dominance like always eh Robin? I am surprised you even have time to observe me while you are busy showing off for Raven and Starfire. God I am so sick of you sometimes, you always have to be the best at everything and you pick on me to remind everyone of how apparently inferior I am.' The green haired boy raged internally, not realizing that he had lost his focus during his training

As his thoughts became darker so did his actions. His occasional punches became faster and harder. His combat stance switched to a very different one that what he had been taught by the Boy Wonder.

As his eyes dulled and his long suppressed instincts began taking over his 'training' became more of a flurry of blows against the target, attacks that were normally controlled and regulated became dangerous in nature, showing skill far beyond what he had before and tearing into the punching bag in ways that would have killed a normal human being.

 _***TrwP***_

Raven was the first to sense the change in the young boy. Normally Beast Boy was one of two things on her empathic 'radar'. The first was overwhelming happiness; the second was nothing at all.

Raven had first noticed these "blank periods" as she called them around a month or so after the Titans formed, though she had never mentioned it to anyone else. When Beast Boy's emotions went dark she found herself unable to find or sense his presence in anyway and it frightened her to a degree that she was ashamed of. After all there was nothing to be afraid of, he was the most harmless and fun loving of the team, or so she kept telling herself.

The new emotions that she was detecting though said a different story. There was a darkness that she detected from him that had staggered her, like a gunshot in a quiet room.

As she saw the boy, utterly destroying the training device she made her way over towards him, to ensure that nothing was physically wrong. Glancing about the young sorceress noticed that the others were too busy with their training, or in Starfire's case sneaking glances at their leader, to notice.

As she approached the boy from behind and reached out to him he whirled around, pulling back his hand in a threatening manner. It was then she saw his eyes. They were not the same as the fun loving childish boy that she had known for the past few years. Rather they were dull, as if he had not been fully conscious but rather was acting on some kind of 'autopilot'.

He froze when he saw the girl's eyes widen in shock, and immediately retreated out of reach from her, his eyes snapping back to their normal shade.

"Beast Boy are you…"

"Uh yeah just fine, awesome in fact, guess I went a bit overboard eh? Hehe must be all of Rob's awesome training, yeah that must be it. Well I gotta go, nature calls and all that funny since I change into nature huh? So uh yeah um bye!" The teen babbled out in one breath, before nearly running out of the training room.

"What's his problem?" Cyborg asked, coming up to the startled girl.

"No idea, Cyborg you don't think that The Beast is acting up again do you? Beast Boy was acting a bit strange."

"Doubt it besides you know that 'strange' and 'Beast Boy' are basically the same thing. I wouldn't worry about it." The cybernetic man replied easing the Raven's suspicions as the other two Titans came over.

"Huh, I guess Beast Boy did work for five minutes I wonder what terrible comedy we are going to have to sit through for this tonight…" Robin questioned with a worried tone.

 _***TrwP***_

The rest of the day had gone quickly, with no more alerts the Titans were able to relax in their own ways.

Starfire had enjoyed spending time with her pet Silkie, Cyborg was making modifications to the T-Car, Robin had been working on updating files in the archive, Raven was meditating, and Beast Boy had spent the remainder of the day in his room, only leaving make a tofu sandwich for dinner and then returning to his shelter afterwards.

When darkness fell on the city, Cyborg was the one who had retrieved Raven, and strangely enough had to go and locate his best friend.

Knocking on his door Cyborg was thoroughly surprised to find the green skinned boy in his room still.

"Uh hey B, Robin said it was your pick for movies tonight so uh… yeah… are you feeling okay?"

The teenager looked strangely tired for having not really done much the entire day.

"Yeah I'm fine Cy, I didn't really sleep well last night and with the training today and the fight I think I'm just feeling a bit tired. Tell Star she can pick the movie, I am sure she is dying to watch another romantic flick again and I doubt anyone wants to watch another comedy despite their awesomeness." The changeling chuckled, drawing a surprised look from his friend.

"You sure BB? It isn't like you to miss a movie night."

"Yeah go on and have fun I just need some rest is all."

"Alright man, well if you need anything just let me know."

"Will do goodnight Cy."

"You too man."

With that the largest Titan left and returned to the common room to inform the team of the situation, which ended with a scream of glee from a certain alien as she began shuffling through her large box of romance movies that had been purchased for her the previous Christmas.

 _***TrwP***_

Thankfully that night had been Robin's turn to do patrol, so the green teen was actually able to get a full nights rest.

The next morning Beast Boy was awoken by a tapping on his door. Groaning at being woken up before eight in the morning the hero threw a shirt on before answering the call.

"Hey BB just wanted you to know that our 'fearless leader' is calling everyone down to the medical bay in ten minutes, apparently he had some brilliant idea last night and wants to do a test of it."

"Alright thanks Cy, I'll be down in a sec."

Nodding in acceptance the cybernetic teen departed, allowing his friend to get ready in peace.

 _***TrwP***_

"Explain to me again why _I_ have to be the one to do this?"

Robin let out a deep sigh, wishing that his fellow Titan would just follow orders and not question them.

"I told you Beast Boy, Starfire's anatomy is too different, Cyborg is busy monitoring the activities and it wouldn't make any sense for Raven to do it on herself."

"Okay sure but why not _you_ why does it have to be _me_."

"Because Beast Boy Robin needs to be able to operate heavy machinery and utilize weapons in combat, we can't take the risk that this might put him out of commission." Raven replied, her voice with a slight edge in it.

'You mean you don't want to see your precious lover hurt…' the changeling thought, before dismissing the idea and sitting down on the examination table.

Glancing around at the tray of medical supplies he chose a rather sharp looking scalpel before making a small cut on his finger, drawing blood and holding it out for Raven.

Rolling her eyes at the insignificant wound the empathy held out her hands and immediately healed it, before glancing over to their mechanical friend.

"Sorry BB you are going to have to do a bit more than that, I couldn't get a good reading on the energy Raven was using or the effects it would have on anything besides soft tissue damage."

"Uh translation please Cy?"

"Make a bigger cut Beast Boy." Robin chimed in.

It had been Robin's idea to test the full extent of Raven's healing abilities, and how much it would affect her depending on the wound inflicted. He had made the argument that should civilians be injured they needed to know who could be safely healed on site without compromising her powers and who had to be evacuated to a hospital for emergency treatment.

Again the green hero sighed, before making a slightly bigger incision for Raven to heal, before glancing over at his best friend again.

"I got a bit more information on the healing that time but it still seems to be tiny scraps of information at best, we need a larger sampling of both the resulting damage and the influence that it would have on Raven's vital signs."

"Uh Cy…"

"Translation is, stop being such a wuss Beast Boy." The gothic heroine growled out, not wanting to spend any more time on this stupid test than was necessary, especially after missing out on some valuable 'stress relieving time' the previous night.

Starfire just looked nervous, not wanting her friend to hurt himself, but seeing Robin's patience wearing thin at the lack of results.

"Please Beast Boy, we all just want for this test to be over and accomplished." The orange girl pleaded, trying to end the situation as quickly as possible.

"Yeah let's go we don't have all day, we have training simulations to run, the obstacle course is almost repaired, and of course there is the individual sparring that I think we could all use again today…" Robin practically smirked at the last option.

Inside Beast Boy was seething in annoyance, apparently everyone was far more interested in Robin's plans and the rest of their free time rather than seeing him unharmed. Well fine then he would give them something to analyze.

Abruptly standing up the boy ignored the questioning gazes that the others gave him, before walking past the initial tray of medical supplies that had been laid out, oh so graciously he might add, by their leader. Instead he went to a nearby countertop and retrieved a medium sized box before going back and laying it onto the small end table.

"Uh Beast Boy, what is in that…"

Before Cyborg could finish his statement the boy had pulled out a large surgical knife, before holding up his left arm and stabbing just below his hand, then cutting all the way down on his forearm to near his elbow.

The others just stared in shock and horror as he did so, without so much as a flinch on his face.

Afterwards he looked over to Raven expectantly, as blood rapidly poured down his arm.

"Well?"

His statement seemed to knock the room out of their thoughts as the empathy rushed to his side and began rapidly healing his arm.

Afterwards he glanced over at the still horrified cybernetic man, who had yet to move his stare from the previously bleeding appendage.

"Was that enough information?"

"Wha? Uh yeah I think we are…"

"Good, now if you will excuse me I need to go change my shirt, I wouldn't want to arrive at training in bloody clothes."

With that the boy turned and left while the others tried to recover from the display.

 _***TrwP***_

Before the Titans could gather in the training room a signal once more rang out through the tower.

Rushing to the main room Robin punched in the information but discovered that it wasn't the emergency alarm but was the notification of a law enforcement message.

As the others gathered into the room, Beast Boy noticeably walking in last, and standing behind the group, he pulled up the message.

On the large display monitor were the images of the police chief, mayor, and head of the local FBI office.

"Hello gentlemen what can we do for you?" Robin questioned his stance tall and firm while his voice had taken on tone of leadership and authority with a hint of respect.

"Greetings Teen Titans, I am sure you all know who we are by now, we have been having some trouble with an ongoing case, and the FBI and Law Enforcement have finally agreed to allow for your expertise in this matter." The mayor replied, his eyes shifting about nervously.

"Of course, anything we can do to help."

"You have undoubtedly heard the rumors of a serial killer on the loose in California, praying on teenagers and other young individuals?" This time it was the police chief who inquired, and after receiving a nod of confirmation continued the explanation.

"We have had absolutely no luck in bringing this person to justice and with your success record and tracking skills we would like to ask of you to lend us your assistance in our investigation and hopefully stop this maniac from striking again."

"We will do all we can to help."

"We appreciate it. We will meet you at the local FBI field office in two hours to brief you on what we know."

"We will be there, Robin out."

After switching off the transmission the Boy Wonder signaled to the rest of his team to prepare for departure.

Starfire, however, noticed that Raven was moving a bit slower than usual as if in a daze.

"Is everything okay Raven?"

"Yeah Star, I just have a bad feeling about this."

"I am sure it is nothing Raven, we have dealt with far more dangerous villains than this before."

"Yeah you're right Star, let's go." The empathy confirmed, before sparing a glance at the shape shifter who was just exiting the room.

***A/N***

My first real Teen Titan Story woo!

If anyone has any suggestions or critiques I am open to them, I welcome all assistance.

I am going to attempt to update every week, shooting for Saturday mornings, but no promises since I am also going to be trying to do two stories at once now.

For those of you concerned, no this will not be a Robin bashing story. If he seems like an ass right now… that's because he kind of was in the show/comic, also if you were in charge of a bunch of super heroes as a teenager and sleeping with two of them you would probably have a bit of an "alpha male" personality too.

This story WILL eventually be a BB/Rae, Robin/Starfire story, but based on the Television show I felt like Raven had a far stronger relationship with Robin than she did with our green protagonist. This will change over time but do not expect any sudden love confessions from either of them.

As always Thank you for taking the time to read my story, I hope you enjoyed the Chapter. I know I enjoyed writing it.


	2. Approved for all audiences

**The Roles we Play**

Approved for all audiences

Thanks to all those who have viewed, commented favorited or followed my story.

*** I still do not own anything related to the Teen Titans. ***

"The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew" –Robert Burns

*** _TRwP***_

"Here's what we know so far." Agent Smith began, "We have dubbed him the 'Internet Killer'. You probably have already heard that he kidnaps young victims, usually in their teens, and then runs a live feed website in which he tortures and kills them based on how many people log on to view the video. Thus far he has claimed ten victims and we believe he is already looking for his next."

"Have you traced the website?" Cyborg asked, even though he already was sure of the answer.

"Tried it several times, he runs it off of a dozen servers located all over the world that he hacks into and then routes them through dozens more. Based on his skills we would put him in the mid to late twenty's. There is never any sign of a struggle so we believe he is a highly

"So what can we do to help?" Robin inquired.

"We have a plan on how to apprehend this person but we need someone with a very specific skill set, which is where you and your team come in. If one of you can go undercover and draw this person out we will be able to corner and apprehend them before anyone else can be taken."

"What do you mean 'undercover'?" The cybernetic teen inquired.

"Our plan is to have one of you pose as a potential victim, if we can force the killer into a situation that we can control with someone who is able to defend themselves then we can stop this pattern."

"No offense Agent Smith but besides Robin none of us really 'fit in' enough to be mistaken for a normal teenager." Raven pointed out.

"That is why we were hoping that your leader would volunteer for this assignment, with his tactical skill and knowledge he would be able to spot anyone suspicious and defend himself if need be. But we will lead that up to you and your team, now here is our plan for the operation…"

*** _TRwP***_

"Robin I do not like this plan, what if something was to happen to you?" The orange-skinned girl pleaded with her lover.

"I will be fine Star, besides it's just like Raven pointed out, I am the only one who can blend in enough to pass as a potential victim."

"Actually Robin I have a backup plan for that, we could try the Holorings I created to infiltrate the HIVE as 'Stone'. It would still rule me out as a potential replacement due to my size but the others could stand in which would allow you a better vantage point for making team calls."

"I won't allow the girls to take the risk Cyborg."

"Robin he has a good point, Starfire or I could easily defend ourselves without relying on martial arts, plus you could be monitoring the entire thing with the FBI." The empath pointed out.

"Absolutely not, there are far too many things that could give you away. Starfire's super strength or problems with English could give her away, and we cannot be certain that something would not trigger your powers accidently. We only have one shot at this and if we make even the slightest error, he could change his plans entirely." The boy replied with finality, before shifting through more of his street clothes for a good disguise.

A distraught Starfire began looking to her teammates for help, before her eyes fell onto the, as of yet silent, changeling.

The expression on her face was obvious and pleading in such a way that Beast Boy could only sigh in annoyance at what he was going to have to do.

"Hey Rob what about me?"

The Boy Wonder turned to look at the youngest member of the team.

"What about you Beast Boy?"

"Well if Cyborg has one of those Holo doohickey's then I could take your place right? Then you could monitor everything, the girls could relax a bit and we still have a viable target."

"That's…. not a bad idea Beast Boy. Okay Cyborg set him up with a disguise while the girls and I start planning for surveillance."

The mechanical man just nodded before walking off towards his room, the young green boy following closely behind.

*** _TRwP***_

"Are you sure about this BB? I mean I know you can do it but it's taking a big risk."

"Yeah Cy I will be fine, plus I know you four will have my back along with God knows how many police and FBI agents. If worst comes to worst I will just show off some of my awesome Kung-Fu moves."

"If you say so, alright I have to go meet Rob and the others down in the OP room to finalize where we will all be stationed so I will let you pick your skin. We uploaded your base imagine into the computer so you just have to make small tweaks until it feels right."

"Gotcha thanks Cy."

The large teen took one last glance down at his friend, before leaving the room and shutting the door quietly behind him.

"I guess it's time to see what I would have looked like…"

*** _TRwP***_

"Alright here's the plan, Cyborg will be setup with the FBI in their command post a block down from Beast Boy's location, and he will be monitoring the entire area with the mini cameras we will be adding. Raven I want you on the rooftops scanning with Empathy, we know that the killer waits until the victim is isolated to avoid suspicion so locking on and following should not be difficult. Finally, Starfire and I will be disguised in the restaurant down the street to block off that escape path should they try to escape via car. Now the FBI will have vehicles setup to block off the road in both directions so they will not be able to escape quickly that way. We also have undercover officers located in the alleyways and a few nearby buildings should they try and take him by foot."

"I don't think this will be necessary Rob I mean even if the guy takes the bait BB can hold his own against some random jerk that is used to dealing with teenagers, even if he takes them without a struggle."

"I would like to think so Cyborg, but considering Beast Boy's abilities without utilizing his animal forms I would not place any bets on it."

Before the conversation could continue any further the main door slid open with a hiss, and in walked a blond haired boy with bright blue eyes and a somewhat tanned complexion. He wore dark blue Jeans, a somewhat tight long sleeved shirt, which showed off the muscle underneath, a windbreaker jacket, and dark grey gloves.

The others just stared as he adjusted the sleeves of his coat, before he slowly glanced up at those already assembled.

"What?"

"Uh… Beast Boy?" The dark skinned man questioned.

"Yeah…"

"Beast Boy you look… different…" Robin intelligently commented.

"That is the point of the disguise right? So that no one knows who I am."

"Oh Beast Boy you look most fetching in your new outfit." The alien happily proclaimed, earning a slight glare from her pseudo boyfriend.

Raven just stared silently, her eyes wandering across his form.

"Where did you come up with that look BB?" The cybernetic man inquired, as the boy wandered over to glance at the planned layout.

"I guess it just came to me."

Robin's eyes narrowed a bit in suspicion but he quickly let it go.

*** _TRwP***_

"All teams report in."

"Alpha Team in position."

"Bravo Team in position."

"Charlie Team in position."

"Delta Team in position."

"This is Echo team leader, my team is also in position and the bait has been set."

*** _TRwP***_

For some reason Beast Boy never enjoyed the title of 'bait'. Probably because he had enough experience trapping targets with the Doom Patrol, the lure rarely got out of the situation unharmed.

So now, the young teen was sitting at a deserted bus stop, swinging his legs forward and backwards while trying to pass the time.

Sure, he had headphones in, and they were broadcasting the radio transmission but he was not supposed to keep them up or change the frequency just in case there was a change in plans.

Soon an hour went by, then another. Finally, Beast Boy was beginning to get a bit fidgety, and it seemed as though the trap had failed. After all, it would only take a slightly observant person to notice he had been sitting past the initial bus departure.

Before he was about to give the signal to call it a night he was alerted to a large explosion several blocks down. Standing up he gazed into the night as the flames illuminated the smoke that now rose from whatever had just occurred.

*** _TRwP***_

"What the hell was that? Robin come in this is Cyborg there has been an explosion about a mile from BB's location, not sure on the cause though. What are your orders?"

"Star, Raven, and I will check it out. Immediately you stay put and keep an eye on Beast Boy just in case. I was going to call the operation a failure for now but this might just be what we are looking for."

As the three heroes departed, Cyborg turned back to the various monitors that in front of him, studying for any signs of movement.

Suddenly another call came over the system, "Cyborg, Cinderblock has broken free and is making his way towards a power plant. We need you to come and assist. Beast Boy still has over a dozen operatives in the area plus surveillance systems so he will be fine for another hour or so." Robin commanded before shutting off his com link.

Cyborg nodded in confirmation before relaying the instructions to the agents in the run down building, then took to the back alleys to avoid discovery.

Unfortunately, he had not noticed the slight glitch in the displays as he left, nor did the FBI agents.

*** _TRwP***_

"Phew guess that takes care of rock head eh? Come on it is getting colder by the minute out here. I could use a late night pizza." Cyborg called out to his other three companions, before they nodded as the police began showing up to transport the villain.

As they sat down and began looking over the menu, Cyborg began feeling as if he was missing something. Suddenly he dropped his menu in shock. "Oh crap we forgot about BB!"

"He's fine I'm sure he's just sitting on that stupid bench still, whining about something. It is actually kind of nice to have a quiet dinner without him for once." Raven replied before returning to her menu.

"She's right, like I said he is surrounded by law enforcement. They probably already brought him back to the command post and made him some hot chocolate or something by now. I also wouldn't mind a nice peaceful meal as well." Robin affirmed, calming down his second in command.

"Yeah you're right well I'll just grab him a to-go vege-pizza it should cheer him up when we get back."

"Marvelous, now who would like to split a Caramel, Marshmallow, peace, hummus covered pizza with me?" the bizarre alien girl inquired, as the others went green at the thought.

*** _TRwP***_

As the team, minus one changeling, entered the FBI command post Robin noticed something was wrong immediately.

The agents were running around, checking through footage and accessing computer networks at an alarming rate.

Cyborg's stomach sunk, something was terribly wrong.

"Why weren't we contacted?" Robin immediately asked, getting an immediate response from the agent in charge.

"We tried. All of your communicators were off. I assume from your battle?"

"W-what happened?" The large teen called out.

"We aren't sure yet, about forty five minutes ago one of our agents went to check on the boy to see how he was holding up and he wasn't on the bench. The problem is that our cameras still showed him there. Apparently, our systems were hacked and the image was placed on a loop to appear as though nothing had changed. We have searched all of the nearby buildings and there is no trace of Beast Boy."

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN THERE IS NO TRACE, HOW DID YOU LOSE HIM?" The dark skinned male roared in anger as he picked the man up with one arm.

"CYBORG ENOUGH! Put him down this isn't helping." Robin commanded earning a growl in response before the agent was dropped onto the floor.

"What do you know?" the grey-skinned girl asked, trying to conceal her worry.

"O-our last c-confirmed contact with him was a-at e-eight o clock with the patrol. H-he was gone w-when we checked again at e-eight t-thirty."

"Didn't we tell you not to do precisely timed patrols? Fine Raven Starfire star sweeping from the air, Raven I want you to focus your empathy as much as possible and…"

"It wouldn't matter Robin, Beast Boy is almost completely invisible to my powers."

"What do you mean 'invisible'? How can someone be invisible to empathy?"

"No idea but he always has been except in times of extreme emotion. I didn't feel like prying into his personal life though to inquire further, you know we all keep secrets."

"Damnit… Cyborg what about the tracking device?"

"Already checked it, it must have been destroyed, either by accident or on purpose but I am leaning towards the latter of the two. If the FBI was hacked and it was timed to this amount…"

"They knew we were here… damnit! Cyborg check all traffic cameras around the time he went missing, look for vans or other vehicles with dark windows or stolen cars. Maybe we will get luck. Star and Raven I still want you both on aerial patrol, stay in contact with the FBI while they search the ground. I am going to work on any leads we might have had to try to figure out who did this. One more thing Cyborg, I need you to be monitoring… the killer's website. If he did take Beast Boy we have to be ready to back trace it through any means necessary."

"I'm going back to the tower. I have more computing power there. Rob we have to find him, if something happens…"

"I know, don't worry nothing is going to happen to him Cyborg. This is Beast Boy remember? If nothing else he is resourceful when he needs to be."

*** _TRwP***_

"WE SHOULDN'T HAVE LEFT HIM ALONE!" Timid cried out in despair, forcing Raven to wince in pain.

"We made the correct decision. It was one life against the possibility of losing dozens maybe even hundreds due to Cinderblock." Knowledge analyzed, though there was a slight waiver in her voice as she did so.

"When we find this prick we are going to make sure he regrets ever touching our Beast Boy!" Courage declared, before cracking her knuckles menacingly.

"For once I agree the warrior over here. This bastard is going to wish for death when we are done with him." The crimson-cloaked emoticlone growled out.

'ENOUGH, I cannot concentrate on finding him with all of you arguing like this. So for once I am asking you all to just SHUT THE HELL UP!' Raven screamed mentally, earning a fearful look from the various emotions.

*** _TRwP***_

Several hours later, a call came from the tower. Cyborg had found something.

As the three teenagers ran into the command room they spotted the fourth sitting in front of a large computer monitor, his eyes glowed with a mixture of rage and sorrow.

"Cyborg? What is the matter?" the tanned girl whispered out, before gasping in horror as a masked man appeared on the monitor, behind him was Beast Boy, Chained up and dangling from the ceiling in the background.

"HELLO THERE VIEWERS! I am the infamous host of the most popular Internet series of all time, 'A view to die for'. Today we have a very special guest, the Teen Titan BEAST BOY! Say hello beastie boy." The psychotic person happily shouted out, his or her, voice obviously distorted by electronics.

Unfortunately, Beast Boy was gagged and could only glare in response.

"I'll take that as an 'I am delighted to be here good sir and would be honored if you would cut me into tiny pieces while I am still breathing so that you may dance to my screams of pain and terror'. Well don't you worry about that my friend. The fun is coming as soon as we starting getting a good audience."

"Cyborg how is the trace coming?" Robin immediately asked, as he ran to a nearby computer console to assist.

"It's running with the entire computer system of the tower and we still haven't made any progress, this guy must be a computer genius or something."

Robin nodded before doing a quick search for anyone who would have the ability to do such a project to try to find a suspect.

"Can we shut down the site?" Raven called out, earning puzzled looks from the team. "He said that he wants an audience right? So maybe if we can block him we could force him to move to a less secure network and buy us time."

"Good idea, Cyborg?"

"Working on it… DAMNIT!" The metallic teen slammed his fists down, carefully avoiding the electronics in front of him. "I still can't get any reading on this bastard's connection one way or another."

"So like I was saying folks, I was hoping to have Robin here with me this evening but apparently the 'Boy Wonder' would rather send the youngest of his teammates out as a sacrifice instead, no matter though. I am sure that many of you are as curious as I am about the color of this kid's blood. Is it green? Is it red? We will find out soon enough!"

"R-Robin… please hurry… Beast Boy…."

"I know Star, I'm trying."

"Oh my look at that, we already have more hits than ever before! We are closing in on five million views already! Tell you what folks since I am such a gracious host I will give everyone a little preview of what is in store for our favorite green shape shifter."

The man picked up the camera and held it as he swept around the room, stopping at each 'station' he had setup.

"First up is 'the peeler' where we will see what exactly is beneath all those tacky clothes and ugly skin of his." The man began, pointing to a large horrific looking device with thin curved blades.

"Next is 'the crusher', I have always been a bit curious on how much force a superhero's bones can take before they break, and although he is more of a sideshow attraction than a hero I guess it will have to do for now."

"Then we have 'the chair' where our new friend will be strapped down while I remove various, unsightly parts of our green friend, you know such as his eyes and tongue."

At this point Cyborg became ill and threw up in a nearby trashcan, Starfire was sobbing, Robin had been clenching his fists hard enough to draw blood, and Raven's face had frozen in a state of horror while her powers began tearing the room apart.

"Finally we reach the last part of our tour with a fitting end to our animal friend, a large band saw from a butcher's shop I have managed to confiscate." The maniac finished, pointing to the large vertical saw, which was connected to a conveyor belt system, leading the viewers to believe that the victim would be slowly moved into it and cut in half.

Just then, a loud metal scrapping caught the attention of the camera, like the sound of a large door opening.

*** _TRwP***_

-Earlier-

Beast Boy woke up chained vertically to the ceiling, blinking his eyes he glanced around at the room he now found himself trapped in. The walls were a dull white tile with a grey floor to remove any idea of the location. The smell of chemicals filled the air and gave him a sickening feeling in his stomach. He always hated that stench, reminded him of hospitals and disinfectants.

'Okay so how did I end up here… last thing I remember was an electric jolt, and then being carried away. Dark tunnels, a van, engine noises. From the underlying smell, I am guessing I was in a sewer at one point and then…'

Suddenly the large metal door groaned open as a man dressed in a white surgical uniform and black mask walked in, before closing it behind him. Seeing his captive was awake, the man joyfully jogged over and stuffed a gag into his mouth, before checking on the collar that the changeling had woke up to.

"I see you are awake, good. I was hoping you would be conscious for the grand tour after all. Before you bother trying to shapeshift you should know that the collar is designed to give you an electric shock should you attempt to do so and from my observations that stops you quite nicely."

The man wandered back to a table, which held a laptop and a video camera, he seemed to be activating it before starting some kind of speech and pointing the camera back towards him.

Afterwards the psychopath had begun his 'tour' of the torture chamber, giving Beast Boy enough time to begin plotting an escape route.

Unknown to the serial killer was the fact that the changeling had immediately called upon his training in the Doom Patrol, and the hours of lessons on what to do if they were ever captured in such a situation. Remain calm, analyze the surroundings, and take the situation gradually.

'All right so it looks like he was at least expecting a super hero to be captured, hence the reinforced handcuffs. Too bad the idiot left the key in plain sight on the table, just out of reach of course. Chain securely holding the cuffs, and bolted to the ceiling, but it doesn't appear to be in the best condition, I should probably break that part first then grab the key.'

As his captor turned his back and began to examine the farthest devices in the room Beast Boy realized his chance and grabbed ahold of the chain above him, then pulling himself up did a handstand in the air, before he began to twist himself up into the chain, each time getting closer and closer to the ceiling. As he finally reached the top he let go and rapidly descended, picking up speed before jerking his arms downwards at the last possible second, adding further stress on the chain which shattered in a surprisingly quiet manner.

Calling upon his experience in infiltration missions the boy moved to the table and unlocked his cuffs before making his way to the door and pushing open the large metal obstacle.

*** _TRwP***_

The man, and by extension camera, turned just in time to catch the green teenager standing at the open door, glancing back in a somewhat smug way.

"H-how did you… well it doesn't matter boy, even if you run I will be back someday, by the time you reach any sort of authorities I will be gone. I must say I am a bit disappointed though, even though you are nowhere near Robin's skill level you were caught so easily. I doubt he would have been defeated at all. You though, well you always were the weak link right?"

"Come on BB ignore that bastard just run. RUN DAMNIT!" Cyborg shouted at the screen, for some reason hoping his best friend would hear him.

The other Titans just stood by silently praying that their youngest would follow the advice.

Instead, the boy hesitated, as if doubting something in his mind.

"Maybe I will go after your female friends next, I always do enjoy cutting girls up, and they make such interesting squeals of terror. I prefer the boys since making them cry is so much more rewarding but still. Perhaps I moved onto super heroes too quickly. I could just go back to the normal civilians I suppose." The man taunted, hoping to lure the teen back into the room.

It worked.

Beast Boy closed the door roughly, before sliding the lock back into place and turning his gaze towards the man.

It was not what the killer was expecting though. Gone was the boyish twinkle and joy that was so characteristic of the young hero. Instead, a deep anger and hatred lied behind his eyes. It spoke of experience in the art of killing far beyond what any normal person would ever have. It held the belief that the ends could justify the means and that atrocities were at times necessary.

The green boy walked towards the other occupant slowly, like a predator stalking his prey, every muscle alert and tensed, his senses covering the room to pick up every sound and smell, every slight twitch in his enemy's body.

As the boy reached the table in front of him, he glanced one last time at the camera the man held.

"This is NOT approved for all audiences." He uttered out, his voice sounding low and deadly. Then he snapped the computer in half, severing the network connection and cutting the feed.

***A/N***

For those of you worried that this plot is not going anywhere… fear not. This is just the beginning of the little saga I have started in this story.

The 'band saw' idea I got from the movie "Sherlock Holmes" when the woman is attached to that pig-slicing thing.

For those of you a bit confused as to how Beast Boy escaped his captor, I based it roughly on Vin Diesel's escape from "The Chronicles of Riddick"

For those of you who are upset with the other Titans, yes they are kind of jerks, because they were in the show to Beast Boy too. Robin was always shown as the 'star character' while BB was the silly comic relief most of the time. Fear not though, Beast Boy is going to be showing off some unusual skills in the coming chapters, nothing out of the scope of his powers though.

Hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. A couple of the scenes were probably a bit confusing but I like how it turned out overall.


	3. Repercussions

**The Roles we Play**

Repercussions

Thank you to all who have read, reviewed, favorited, or followed my story.

***I still don't own any of the Teen Titans or make money off them. ***

" _All that is gold does not glitter. Not all those who wander are lost."_ \- J.R.R. Tolkien

 _***TRwP***_

It had been four days since the Titans had last seen anything of their missing friend.

Cyborg had barely slept, choosing to change out his batteries instead to keep searching for any clues to his missing friend's whereabouts.

Robin had stayed up for the first thirty hours, until Starfire had dragged him to his room and forced him to rest.

Starfire in the meantime had cried for the first several hours. After she had run out of tears she had followed the others around, helping with anything that she could whether it be searching physically or going through camera feeds with Cyborg.

Raven had given up attempting to locate either Beast Boy or his kidnapper after the first twelve hours and then had resorted to searching nearby towns for any sign of the green teenager.

 _***TRwP***_

"I want to know who the mole is in your department!" Robin growled at the men assembled in front of him.

The Chief of Police from Jump city, the Mayor, and the FBI field commander all sat in the small office, with the Boy Wonder and Starfire glaring down on them.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, and watch your tone of voice with us _boy_." The FBI leader replied, earning himself the complete attention of the teenager in question.

"Oh really, then how is it one of my teammates was captured under _your_ watch. Normally this would have been a different problem but considering the man slipped by all of your agents, and was fully prepared to capture either myself or Beast Boy it appears as though whoever the hell he is received inside information on our little operation. So besides my team who else was aware of our involvement?"

"The three people in this room along with two of my senior agents, no one else was aware until they actually met your team. If anyone was involved with leaking information I think it would be the inexperienced teen…."

Suddenly the man found himself pushed up against a wall, being held off the ground by his throat, a pair of glowing, rage filled, green eyes staring back at him.

"It would be wise of you to consider your next words carefully. We have spent two days looking for Beast Boy and none of us are in what you would refer to as a 'good mood'." The tameranean threatened fiercely.

The man gulped before hastily nodding in agreement, his eyes widening in fear.

"Starfire that's enough put him down, I am sure he was not blaming the team that he seemed to deliberately put in danger. Otherwise we might have to make a far more thorough investigation into him and his command."

"As you wish Robin." The girl replied, before dropping the man onto the ground, while he gasped for air.

"The number of police officers that would have had any advanced knowledge of this operation is limited to only a few. I have already put them in isolation for now, they completely understand and are more than willing to help in any way possible, including volunteering for questioning and a lie detector test." The Police Chief spoke, trying to divert any more wrath towards the Federal officer.

"I appreciate it, right now though our attention is focused on finding Beast Boy. Have you been able to find any missing vehicles from the area that would allow them to escape the area?" Robin asked, having suggested that the perpetrator would not have risked using a vehicle that he owned should it be spotted.

"Unfortunately no, even with the traffic cameras and the location nothing has shown up as being stolen yet."

Next it had been the mayor's turn to speak, but the cowardly man seemed to have been unable to look the boy in the eyes, much less have an actual conversation with him.

"We will be having this conversation again, once Beast Boy is found. Count on it."

With that the two Titans left, leaving the office in a tense silence.

 _***TRwP***_

'I have to find him. I let him down and now he's gone. That bastard must have left a clue though. Somewhere a camera took a picture of him, someone saw something. All I have to do is keep looking.' The cybernetic teen droned on, as the entire computer system of the tower was focused into sweeping the vast amounts of information.

Cyborg had stopped relying on battery change outs after the first two days, and was now plugged directly into the tower's grid. He knew that after this was over he would need a major overhaul of his systems. His core system would need repaired due to taking in so much energy at a constant rate.

But right now he didn't care in the least. All that was on his mind was finding the small boy who he secretly called his brother when no one else was around.

His best friend in the world, the first to truly accept him and not care what he was or looked like was out there with some psychopath and he would be damned if he just let it happen.

He had already gone through Terabytes of information and still nothing had shown up, but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was finding his friend, there was nothing else.

Vaguely he had been aware that Jinx had come to the tower the day following the incident. She had heard about what had happened and immediately volunteered to help in any way possible.

Not only was she currently dating the robotic teen but she had also taken a liking to the young changeling after her short lived relationship with Kid Flash. She had found the youngest Titan rather amusing and a welcome change to the overbearing seriousness of Robin, the stoic Raven, and the absurdly emotional Starfire.

It hadn't hurt any that Beast Boy had taken a few of Cyborg's patrol shifts to give the two teenagers some extra alone time either.

"Vic, have you found anything?" The pink haired girl asked gently, not wanting to disturb his almost trance like work.

"Not yet, but I will. I am going to find that monster and bring BB back."

"I know you will could you take a break though?"

"No time, must find Beast Boy."

"Vic… he wouldn't want you killing yourself over this. You are strapped to so many wires that it almost looks like you are in a hospital."

"More efficient this way, must find…"

Suddenly the pink eyes appeared in front of him, eyes almost brimming with tears.

"I want to find him too, but pushing yourself to the point of losing who you are is not helping. You need to get some rest Vic. No matter what anyone thinks or says you are a human being and you can't just keep going like this."

Her plea seemed to knock something loose though and Cyborg shook out of his obsession.

"Yeah you're right sorry Jinx. Let me just put this thing on auto and unplug from this mess."

The girl nodded, happy to have her boyfriend back to acting somewhat normal.

 _***TRwP***_

Raven had taken to physically searching nearby towns once Cyborg had begun utilizing all of the computing resources himself. Although she generally despised going into heavily populated areas, with all the emotions running amok in them, it was the only thing she could think of at the time to actually be of use.

Her emotions had been running far too wild for any sort of scrying spells and her empathy had turned up nothing even with enhanced range.

Speaking of emotions…

"We shouldn't have left him! What if we never see him again? What if the others hate us for it? What if Starfire's future happens because Beast Boy is gone? What if…" Timid rambled on, becoming more and more depressed with each question.

"We will find him eventually. Logically one cannot hide from the law and all observational technology forever, and even if Beast Boy is not spotted his kidnapped will be brought to justice." Knowledge called out, trying to ease the rest of the emoticlones.

"As long as we are the ones 'bringing him to justice' then I don't care. I am going to give that freak a piece of my mind and my fists!" the emerald cloaked clone replied, cracking her knuckles in emphasis.

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT JUSTICE I WANT REVENGE! NO ONE HURTS ONE OF OUR FAMILY AND GET'S AWAY WITH IT. I WILL RIP HIM TO FREAKING PIECES!" Rage shouted.

"ENOUGH ALL OF YOU! My Goddess you are giving me a headache which is, yet again, counterproductive." The real Raven interrupted, trying to focus on the task at hand was hard enough without multiple conversations going on in your head.

"Hey who is that?" One of the clones called out, though Raven hadn't had time to identify which.

Glancing up Raven noticed a small diner, but what truly startled her was that sitting in one of the booths was a blonde haired boy who looked just like Beast Boy did when he had worn his Holoring.

Upon entering the building the empath immediately walked to same table and sat across from the young man.

The teenager across from her glanced up, a curious look in his eyes, "Can I help you?".

The accent threw her off. Beast Boy did not have a French accent.

"What are you doing here?"

"Uh… I'm eating some pie, what are you doing here?" The boy replied, in a confused tone.

"Looking for you of course! Where have you been?"

"I think you might be confused lady, I have never seen you before."

"Of course you have, and drop the stupid accent Beast Boy!"

"Acting like what? And my name is not Beast Boy, its Luke."

Suddenly the girl stopped herself, was she just imagining this boy as her lost teammate? After all he did look slightly different, along with the accent, and the fact that she could actually sense confusion in him. Plus the personality was completely off. This boy was calm and composed, if slightly frustrated, while the actual Beast Boy was hyperactive and annoying.

"Um my mistake, I have been under a lot of stress lately sorry about the confusion sir."

"Quite alright, anything you want to talk about, since we are already talking?"

Again the empath was startled, she had spent days traveling and searching the nearby towns and hadn't stumbled upon so much as one lead, along with the fact that she also hadn't eaten in close to thirty six hours.

"Actually that sounds nice thank you. My friends and I have been looking for someone for a few days and you resemble him."

"Ah that explains the exhausted look you have." The boy proceeded to wave down a nearby waitress and practically demanded the grey skinned teen to order some food, insisting on paying for it as well.

"So what brings you here Luke?"

"Just passing through when I saw this diner, it reminded me of one I visited a few years ago and it has been nice to reminisce."

"If you don't mind me asking where are you headed?"

"Nowhere in particular, after all 'to wander is to be alive'."

"It must be nice, being able to just go where you want, no responsibilities, no worries, nothing to hold you back."

"It is you should try just letting go sometime. You look far too tense for your own good."

"Unfortunately I do not have that luxury, letting go for me is… dangerous."

"Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?"

"Your eyes hide great wisdom Luke. Where did you ever learn to become like this?"

"I was forced to grow up very early on in life and so I never had much time to be a child."

"Is that why you are eating pie for lunch?"

"No, I just really enjoy pie."

The two laughed, as if they had been friends forever rather than just meeting.

After devouring her food the two teens left the restaurant and wandered around the town for a few hours before darkness began settling in and Luke began heading back to his hotel room.

"Do you need a place to stay tonight?"

The girl briefly considered accepting his offer, it was getting dark and she was still tired from the days of searching.

There was also the option of spending some more time with her new friend, perhaps even…

"Thank you for the offer but I must decline I'm afraid, my friends will be worried about me and I haven't been in contact with them yet today. I would call but our communication lines are being used to help search."

"Ah I see, well in case we do not meet again I wish you the best in life Raven. If I somehow encounter your lost companion I will be sure to inform him of your quest."

Suddenly the empath's mind snapped back to reality, she had lost an entire day of searching just because she had chosen to spend time with this boy. Guilt washed over her, how could she call herself Beast Boy's friend, or even teammate, if she had completely forgotten about him so easily?

"I appreciate it thank you Luke, until we meet again."

With that the girl disappeared in a flash of black energy.

 _***TRwP***_

A day later the Titans had assembled, as per Robin's request, in the command room to go over their progress and plan the next move.

"Alright Titans does anyone have anything substantial to report?"

"Nothing Robin, so far not a single camera connected to any network has caught sight of Beast Boy or any clues to his whereabouts."

"Jinx and I have also been unsuccessful in finding any clues with the local enforcers of law."

"Still nothing no reading with empathy, also I haven't been able to find anyone who has noticed anything more suspicious than local gang activity in the nearby towns."

"Maybe that's a clue by itself then?" Robin mused, earning strange looks from the other heroes. "Well if Cyborg says there is no digital footprint and no one seems to have physically seen them we can eliminate certain areas and scenarios. We can probably say that they are no longer in Jump City since it would just be too dangerous, also that they aren't in any heavily populated areas since it would risk too many witnesses. Doubtful that it would be warehouses or factories due to security systems, at least anything new and recently used…"

Suddenly an alarm went off, though not the one the Titans had grown accustomed to.

"Cyborg?" the Boy Wonder called out, as the mechanical teen tapped some nearby controls on a console.

"Someone's in the tower, they just used the main door on ground level, appears to only be one intruder."

"How did they get in? What about the security systems?"

"They didn't trigger most of them, it only showed up since we simplified everything for the search and now all entries are shown as intruders for security reasons."

"Where are they now?"

"Main elevator, they will reach us in two minutes unless we act."

"Let them come to us then, Titans prepare defensive positions!"

As the heroes got into various positions the doors slid open a moment later, to reveal Beast Boy, wearing dirt worn out clothing.

Before Robin could even give the order to stand down Cyborg had rushed forward and enveloped the small boy in a fierce hug.

"BEAST BOY YOU'RE BACK!" He shouted happily, immediately resolving the tension in the room.

"OH MOST JOYFUL I SHALL PREPARE 'THE PUDDING OF A WELCOMED FRIENDS RETURN'!"

'There is no way that is a thing…' Jinx thought as she also walked forward to greet the small boy.

"Uh hey guys, what's goin on?"

"What do you mean 'what's goin on' we have been looking for you. What happened, where were you, why didn't you call, how did you get back, what took you so long…." Raven began ranting, while the changeling tried to keep up.

"Whoa whoa one thing at a time. Uh I was kidnapped, no idea, I tried, I walked most of it, and because walking takes a long time."

"What do you mean you walked? Why didn't you just shapeshift and fly back?" Robin questioned.

The green teen merely pointed to the painful looking collar device strapped to his neck. "It shocks me anytime I try to change."

Cyborg immediately ripped the offending device from his friend's neck with a swift motion, before putting the remains into a sealed container for later analysis.

"Well that's one question thoroughly answered, before we go over anything else in detail though we are going to have to schedule a meeting with the FBI lead, police chief, and Mayor. Since this involved a civilian case they are going to want to be informed and I would rather Beast Boy only have to talk about it once."

"Yeah I know whenever you want Rob. Can I at least change my clothes and take a shower first?"

"Yeah we won't be doing it today Beast Boy, I would like to plan for tomorrow since it will be fresh in your mind though if you are able. Just relax for now."

The changeling nodded before heading off to get changed, promising to be back shortly.

 _***TRwP***_

"We will try and make this as fast as possible Beast Boy." The lead FBI agent explained.

The teenage hero sat at a table with the other Titans, while several FBI agents sat opposite. Behind the agents was a large wall length mirror, behind which were the Mayor, Police Chief, and several more lead FBI agents.

"Let's start from the beginning of this incident, what do you remember from the night of the operation?"

"Well everything was pretty dull up until when the explosion occurred, and then the others went to investigate while I stayed behind just in case it had been a distraction and the killer was still in the area."

The others winced slightly at this, knowing that they had been so easily manipulated away from their friend.

"Then after a while I felt a sharp jolt and passed out. I woke up chained to the ceiling in that really boring room that you probably saw on the internet. By the way what is it with blank white rooms anyway? I mean the killer had one, you guys had one, is there like a rule that all super serious adults have to use at least one completely boring empty room?"

"This is just a conference room Beast Boy, nothing to be nervous about."

"Weird, then why do you have an observation room attached to it?" The boy responded pointing to the mirror located behind the agent, who just tried to ignore it.

"Moving along, how did you manage to escape from those chains?"

"Sorry I can't tell you."

The man blinked in confusion, before narrowing his eyes slightly.

"What do you mean you can't tell us?"

This time it was Cyborg's turn to narrow his eyes, if they were accusing his friend of something then there were going to be problems.

"It's a secret, you know hero stuff."

"Young man this isn't the time for…"

"If BB says it's a hero secret then leave it alone, we didn't come here for you to bully him." the cybernetic teen responded, earning the attention of the agents.

"Perhaps it would be better if you and your team waited outside or in the observation room, to make this process a bit easier on everyone."

Robin gritted his teeth a bit before nodding reluctantly, motioning for the others to follow.

They did so, but not before sending either a glare of warning towards the agents or a comforting smile to their friend.

"Now then we know what happened after you reached the door to escape, but why didn't you just leave then?"

"Because of what he said, the guy was a killer and I wouldn't be much of a hero if I just let him go without even trying to stop him."

"Well your hero status is being called into question but we will get to that later."

Despite the Agent's attempt at shocking, or even angering, the boy he just shrugged before continuing his story.

"Either way I went back inside and walked towards the jerk. After disabling the computer…"

"Yes why did you do that again?"

"I figured it probably helped him control my collar, along with the fact I was going to beat the guy up and children could be watching the video. What kind of hero would I be if I knowingly let them see such violence?"

 _***TRwP***_

Jinx snickered behind the one way mirror. Beast Boy was, if nothing else, entertaining.

Meanwhile her boyfriend was attempting to resist the urge to break the glass and strangle the man who was practically interrogating his younger brother at this point. Glancing over he noticed that Starfire was having the same reaction.

Robin, however, was noticing something that raised different questions in his mind. Beast Boy seemed to be joking around but he was getting more information out of the FBI than they were of him. This was certainly not a skill that Robin had ever taught him which raised the question, 'was beast boy as dumb as he looked and acted?'

 _***TRwP***_

"And after that?" one of the, so far silent, agents gritted out, apparently becoming more and more irritated by the teenager's answers.

"Alright so there I was, face to face with the psychopath who had claimed so many victims. We stared into each other's eyes, each measuring up the other with a ferocity unmatched even by the greatest of warriors. I knew that even the slightest mistake would end this titanic battle of strength and will. So crouching down I tensed my muscles…"

At this point even the observers were leaning forward, anticipation filled the room.

"Then he pushed a button and I blanked out from electrical shocks again."

The FBI stared at the boy, who smiled back.

Jinx tried to contain her giggling at the young man's antics, even Cyborg was finding it humorous considering the situation.

Robin developed an eye twitch.

"And then…." A different agent asked, trying to finish this day and go home… and drink heavily.

"I woke up. Weird thing was I was outside in the middle of a forest. So I started wandering around for a day or so until I found a road and followed it to a nearby town. At that point I tried to call the Tower but for some reason it wouldn't go through."

 _***TRwP***_

Robin glanced over at Cyborg, who was busy smashing his head against a wall.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid… of course he couldn't reach us we were using all outgoing and incoming lines to speed up the connection for the search."

 _***TRwP***_

"What about your communicator you Titans carry at all times?"

"I was told not to have it on me so that there was less that would give me away as a Titan. I think you guys were the ones who told me to do that."

 _***TRwP***_

Robin glared at the agents in the observation room, who had the decency to look embarrassed.

"I am starting to wonder how the FBI came this close to actually catching the killer with all the wisdom they have shown so far." The empath spoke out, her voice laced with sarcasm.

 _***TRwP***_

"I assume that the tracking device you had was short circuited when you were shocked?"

"Uh sure? I don't really know what that means but it doesn't turn on anymore so I guess that's why."

Again the boy just gave a cheerful grin, further angering the agents who were trying to take the situation seriously even if he was not.

"Is there anything you can tell us that might help catch this man?"

"Um not really but I was never really much of the investigator. I'm sure Rob probably would have better advice than I would right now."

"Listen you little brat we know you are holding out information on us and if you think you can just take over this operation because your friends are so called 'heroes' then…"

He was interrupted from his rant when the door slammed open and Robin walked in.

"Beast Boy we are leaving."

"Okay Rob"

"Now wait just a minute our conversation is not…."

"Your _interrogation_ is very much done. Beast Boy has done nothing wrong and you have no evidence saying otherwise. You will not attempt to contact any member of my team again unless you speak with me first." The Boy Wonder replied, his voice cold as ice as he motioned for the other to leave.

"Good luck catching the bad guy, I had a lot of fun hanging out with you guys." Beast Boy shouted, while Cyborg practically dragged him down the hall.

 _***TRwP***_

Back at the Tower the Titans had enjoyed eating dinner together before Robin reminded everyone that the scheduled nightly patrols would be starting up again.

It was Cyborg's turn, which lead Starfire, Robin, and Raven to leave, acting as though they intended to go to bed early and rest.

Beast Boy knew otherwise and let out a silent sigh in annoyance.

Meanwhile Cyborg just sent Jinx, who would be at the tower for a few days, an apologetic smile before checking over his systems.

"Hey Cy I can take patrol tonight."

"No way man, get some rest you've earned it after everything that has happened."

"It's cool dude I have been feeling a bit pent up not being able to stretch my wings in so long. Plus I got enough sleep last night to last me a week." The changeling replied before walking closer and whispering just softly enough that Jinx couldn't hear. "Plus I am sure that a certain pink haired girl would like some 'quality alone time' with her boyfriend." He finished, his innuendo being far from subtle.

Cyborg just blushed at the accusation before rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"Alright BB but I'll make it up to you one of these days."

"Yeah, yeah I'll just put it on your tab." The boy replied with a grin, seeing the young girl brighten instantly when told the news and receiving a kiss on the cheek for his efforts.

After the two left Beast Boy dropped the thousand watt smile he had been forcing for the evening.

He truly did love seeing his friends happy. It would just be nice if he could have some of the happiness that came with a relationship as well.

Letting out a sigh the green skinned boy resigned himself to another boring nightly patrol, letting out a chuckle at the wasted hours that the FBI would be putting into trying to find a man who was no longer among the living.

 _***TRwP***_

At an undisclosed location, though not far from Jump City a meeting was taking place between two shadowed individuals.

"Name your price, I want those little brat's heads on a platter." The first man seethed out, obviously enraged.

"I am glad you see things my way. I warned you that the Titans were not to be trifled with, they are a danger to the system you have spent so long building. They ignore the rules of power that have been established in this world." The opposite man replied in a calm voice.

"If they think they can just kill my son and get away with acting above the natural order they have another thing coming. Whatever it takes I will pay it."

"Very well, I have just the associate in mind, efficient, brutal, and quite messy in his delivery."

"Perfect." The business suit wearing gave a sickening grin at the image of the Titans, bloody and defeated on the ground.

***A/N***

Credit to Luke's quote goes to **Roman Payne**.

Again Beast Boy is more than he seems. For reference I sort of made Beast Boy based on Tony Dinozzo's from NCIS while being interrogated.

I haven't decided whether I will post the actual 'fight' scene from Beast Boy vs the killer or not. Doing so will probably up the rating so I am a bit hesitant. But if I get enough requests I might do it as a flashback later.

As always I hope everyone enjoyed reading as much as I did writing.


	4. See it coming

**The Roles we Play**

See it coming

Thank you everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, or followed!

***I own no part of Teen Titans. ***

 _"No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true."_ –Nathaniel Hawthorne

 _***TRwP***_

"Beast Boy we need to talk" Robin commanded as he blocked a sloppy punch thrown by his younger colleague.

"Sure Rob whatsup?" The boy in question grunted, after being thrown backwards by his opponent.

"All kidding aside I need to know what happened when you were kidnapped, not the shortened version you gave the FBI" Robin knew that the youngest of the Titan's had trouble multitasking so he figured that doing the conversation while they were doing their morning sparring would force the changeling to tell the truth rather than skip around it.

"Not much else to tell Rob. Like I said I woke up," this time he tried for a sweep kick only to be leapt over. "I managed to get out of cuffs and went for the door."

"About that," this time Robin went on the offensive and landed an open palm strike to the boy's chest. "How exactly did you get out of those chains."

"Chains were rusty, managed to break em. Not sure why the guy didn't check over all his supplies but I'm not complaining." Beast Boy leapt forward, trying to tackle his leader, only to be dodged, and tripped, at the last second.

"No doubt, so you made it to the door then you turned back because?"

"Because I heard what the jerk was saying about targeting more people. Couldn't just let him kill someone else right?"

Getting back up the green skinned boy slowly circled his opponent before they both charged forward in a furry of blows, with Robin coming out the winner and putting his opponent onto the defensive.

"What exactly where you planning on doing against him? You said your powers were disabled." At this point Robin had the younger boy in a submission hold, and applied a bit of pressure, causing the changeling to yelp out in discomfort.

"I hadn't thought that far ahead, I just knew I had to try something."

"Then what?"

"The jerk shocked me and I passed out. You know I'm not good with pain."

Robin found himself subconsciously smirking a tiny bit, remembering all of the times he had forced the poor boy to tap out in defeat.

"Alright then you woke up and just wandered around for several days?"

"Pretty much, my sense of direction has never been that good especially when I am not in animal form. Finally I found a road and made my way to a town where I hitched a ride back to Jump and found a nice guy who took me across close to the island in his boat."

Just as Robin had predicted his sparring partner soon tapped in submission, before being released.

"Well that just means twice as much hand to hand combat training for the next few weeks. This incident made it very obvious that you need to work on your ability to fight without your powers."

Beast Boy had long since realized that their 'match' was being observed by the other three Titans. Glancing over he fought the urge to frown in annoyance as the two female Titans admired their leader's shirtless form.

"You look a bit overheated BB. Why don't you ever spar shirtless like Rob does, it helps keep you cool you know."

"Yeah Robin keeps tell me that Cy. Had I known you wanted to see my awesome bod though maybe I would consider." The changeling replied with a waggle of his eyebrows.

The Cybernetic teen just snorted as his girlfriend walked over in a revealing exercise outfit.

"My man better not be eyeing anybody but me up." The pink haired girl replied with a catlike grin. "He does bring up a good question though Beast Boy. Why are you the only one who exercise completely covered up?"

At this point the other Titans began to take notice, focusing their attention on the youngest person in the room.

"Uh well you know… Wouldn't want to show off more than I already do heh…"

"Beast Boy, do you have body image issues?" Robin asked, again a bit of cockiness in his voice as he flexed his muscles just a bit more, showing off the few small scars he had received through his apprenticeship with Batman."

"Perfectly understandable though. It must be hard when you have to compare yourself to Robin." The resident empath replied, showing a bit more emotion than intended.

Robin just took it in stride and smirked even more.

"Heh yeah you caught me Rae, never could lie around you huh."

"Alright that's it for today, I think after the last couple of stressful days we could all use a short break in action

Jinx sent Cyborg a seductive grin before sauntering off with the larger man staring after her for a second before quickly excusing himself.

The other three lovebirds discreetly left soon afterwards, as if to hide what they were doing.

 _***TRwP***_

The day passed quickly for the various Titans, save for the green changeling who had found himself alone in the tower as the others 'busied' themselves elsewhere.

That evening it was Robin's turn to take the midnight patrol.

'Thank goodness a night where I can get a full night's rest in my own bed for once.' The emerald skinned boy sighed, but quickly caught the somewhat depressed looks from his two main female teammates.

'You've got to be kidding me! They had an entire day with him and now Starfire is giving me that "Please take his shift" look.'

Letting out a silent sigh Beast Boy informed his leader that he would take the midnight patrol, as a thank you for the extra training. This seemed to have the desired effect and the two girls perked up immediately.

This lead to another night of pseudo sleep for the youngest Titan as he coasted through the skies.

 _***TRwP***_

The next few days went much the same way, with Beast Boy taking up extra shifts so that the various other Titans could spend time with their significant others and the boy in question could get some semblance of rest.

This also lead to the changeling being ignored more and more often during the day as Jinx was able to stay later than she had originally planned to do so.

The days would be filled with group dates and 'activities' that left the youngest member by himself and the nights left with the sweat and more carnal activities.

It all caught up to the poor boy when there was an actual emergency one afternoon when Cinderblock broke out of prison.

 _***TRwP***_

"Beast Boy I need you to distract him while Cyborg and I get into position go!"

"Gotcha Rob." The boy replied, charging head first into combat. It was rather interesting the boy mused as he dodged around the larger opponent, that Robin forced so much tactics and patience into his head only to put him onto the most dangerous and reckless assignments, being the bait or the distraction more than anyone else.

Unfortunately they had missed a civilian during the evacuation of the area and her cries for help had drawn the large stone giant's attention. Thinking quickly the young boy had thrown their enemy off balance will a full charge in his triceratops form and used those precious few seconds to get the young girl to safety.

This had left Robin wide open though who received a backhanded slap in the process.

After the two girls had pummeled the monster into submission with more projectiles than Cyborg would have thought possible. Raven had healed their leader who told the youngest member he would be receiving double training duty to make sure that he could follow orders correctly next time.

It wasn't as bad as what had happened later that evening though.

"What the hell were you thinking Beast Boy!?" The Sorceress seethed in anger towards the bewildered boy.

"I don't know what you're talking about Rae. The girl was in a combat area I couldn't just…"

"What you couldn't just follow orders like the rest of us do every missions? You always have to be the one to put everyone else in danger, always the one who risks the mission just because you think you know what is best and it ends up being something trivial that could have been dealt with later."

"You call a girl's life trivial? Besides Robin should have been able to handle himself for five seconds."

"That's not the point! What if he hadn't survived? Have you ever thought about that? No you didn't because you never think you just act like always. Next time throw yourself in the way of the attack instead of letting someone who is important get hurt!" The empath screamed at her teammate, while the lightbulbs in the room exploded in power.

A moment later the other Titans rushed into the room and saw the results of the argument. After Raven stormed out.

"Come on BB you know not to push her buttons like that man."

"Indeed Raven has been under the stress lately Beast Boy, why do you anger her so?"

"I've told you before Beast Boy to leave her alone. Her emotions can be dangerous and as interesting as it might be to watch you get thrown around the room and into walls we prefer not having to fix the tower every day."

The young boy tightened his fists. If it wasn't for the gloves he was wearing he was sure there would be blood dripping to the floor by now. Of course they would immediately take her side, when did they ever take his?

Instead of giving into his anger and yelling back the changeling merely nodded in acknowledgement before leaving for the main door of the tower. He needed to get away from people before he did something he would end up regretting.

 _***TRwP***_

"We shouldn't have snapped at him, now he probably hates us!" Timid sobbed as brave tried in vain to comfort her.

"Serves the brat right, he screwed up and thus earned the consequences. We should have just thrown the idiot around the room for a bit, would've made us feel better." The crimson cloaked clone snarled.

"We probably should have but let Robin deal with his punishment after all…" The original began before being interrupted by her logical side.

"After all if the situation had been reversed I am sure we would have been praising Robin for thinking about the innocent lives at stake rather than just focusing on the mission. We probably would have yelled at Beast Boy for getting injured due to his own carelessness and then had some 'stress relief' with Robin and Starfire. Heck if it had been anyone else besides Beast Boy we wouldn't have yelled at them. Was it not just a few weeks ago that you were contemplating on how you even called yourself his teammate let alone his friend when you abandoned your search for him so easily?"

"That's different… it's…. Robin was…"

"Exactly, double standards are not logical and you can't come up with a single rebuttal for why it should be different for him and Beast Boy."

"BEAST BOY IS AN ANNOYING LITTLE…"

"Sweet, kind, innocent, compassionate, caring, mystery that has had you puzzled for so long that I doubt you can honestly say you are merely 'intrigued' by him anymore. Don't lie Raven, the first time you saw him in those form fitting clothes with that awful Holo device Cyborg gave him you thought of nothing more than tearing into him right then and there." A new voice interrupted, as 'Love' stepped out of the shadows from a nearby tree.

"Ridiculous and besides what is your problem with the Holorings?"

"Sure that's the part of the conversation you are interested in… The Holorings change a person's outside appearance to something that blends in more. There is no part of any of our teammates that should ever need to be changed. Each aspect of them, both on the outside and inside helps to define and reveal who they are. Every scar, deformation, quirk, muscle, and perfection only helps to create who they are. To change these in order to be more 'normal' is an abomination unto nature and what it has helped to create. No one fits this more than Beast Boy. He is nature and life incarnate and to force him into using technology to try and 'improve' upon his image is as close to blasphemy as I can figure."

"Beast Boy is not perfect! He is loud mouthed, rude, stupid, anim.."

The ensuing slap echoed throughout Nevermore.

Raven stood shocked, unmoving at the force of the blow. For an emotion like Love to strike her was… Love shouldn't even be possible of violence.

As she turned her head back to face the emoticlone she was forced to take a step back, a twinge of fear rolling down her spine.

The mirrored face she looked at as deadly serious even as the rage filled her eyes.

"Don't you ever say that about him, he was the only one to comfort us after that bastard broke our hearts, the only one who made an effort to befriend us for so many years, the only one who could even slightly make us laugh and feel good about ourselves. You have no right to call him that and even thinking about doing so makes you what you have always been feared of being referred to as, a witch and a demon."

The pink cloaked Raven's voice never rose or changed, rather the entire statement was said at just above a whisper, loud enough for everyone to hear but not so much that it could be confused with shouting.

"We should apologize." Knowledge spoke with conviction, earning a few nods from the others present.

"There is nothing to apologize for, even if there was he will just go back to being the annoying little kid he always has been, watch and see. Tomorrow everything will be back to normal.

 _***TRwP***_

It was there again, that feeling, the mixture of adrenaline, anger, and power. He knew what he was capable of, the things that he could destroy, the people he could hurt. He remembered his former commander's lessons on restraint and the calming techniques he had been taught.

All members of the Doom Patrol had been taught them but he had been the focus on more than one occasion. There was darkness in him, created from all of the hardships he had been through in his short life. If it was not properly dealt with and concealed it could make him very dangerous to all those around him. He still liked being a part of the Titans, still enjoyed their company despite being ignored for the past few weeks.

He had no interest in losing his cool and being kicked off of the team for killing the next villain that they ran into. There was no desire to see the looks of horror in their eyes when they realized just how casually and efficiently he could, and would, tear enemies apart.

So his breathing slowed, he let the power and rage flow out of his body, letting go of the emotions that he wanted to dearly to embrace.

He went back to being plain old Beast Boy, the weakest member of the team, the one who was there to remind everyone else of how strong they were and how superior they could be even to other super powered individuals.

Letting out a sigh the green skinned boy began his walk from the shores back to the tower, hoping to avoid any more confrontations for the rest of the day.

 _***TRwP***_

"Hey Beast Boy, Jinx and I are going out to dinner tonight you want to tag along?" The cybernetic teen inquired as the two boys sat in front of the television.

"Nah I don't want to intrude on your 'bonding time'." The changeling replied, in a suggestive tone.

Once again his best friend blushed at the insinuation before the other half of the couple chimed in.

"Its fine Beast Boy, besides you have been taking a lot of midnight shifts for Cyborg lately, it's only fair that you get to relax too."

"Don't worry about me I am always relaxed, besides you two don't get a whole lot of time to yourselves in a tower with four other tenants. Take the night off, have fun, dance, do the horizontal tango, you know normal stuff for teenagers to do."

Jinx turned beet red at his statement, while Cyborg was too busy gaping like a fish to reply.

"H-how did you find out!?"

"Easy dude I haven't told anyone, course we do live with Robin so he probably figured it out already, my guess is Raven has too empathy and all. As for how I know it's pretty easy to smell on you guys after you get finished. Also neither of you two are exactly quiet during the activity."

"Well you know, it's hard to do anything but make exclamations with the love machine over here." Jinx finally recovered enough to try and switch the focal point of the teasing.

The green boy chuckled, "Yeah I bet, anyway like I said, go have an evening alone who knows when the next time we will have a quiet afternoon will be?"

"Alright if you're sure man, you know I owe you one for this right?"

"Yeah, yeah I'll put it on your tab."

 _***TRwP***_

The next morning all the Titans, save Beast Boy who had slept in a bit, were gathered in the kitchen enjoying a group breakfast.

"So Cyborg I trust you two had a nice date night yesterday?" Robin asked, smirking in a suggestive manner.

"Aw come on not this again…" The large teen groaned, he had already been lightly teased by Beast Boy and Raven of all people.

"Oh yes please tell us about your night of dates!"

Jinx just smirked at the impressionable alien princess.

"Oh it was wonderful Starfire. We went to a fancy restaurant then to a movie. After that we took a long walk along the moonlit shore, then we came back to the tower where he ripped off my dress and…"

"AND we went for a nice swim in the pool to cool off yeah! You see Star one of the most romantic parts of being a couple is swimming together." The Cybernetic teen interrupted hastily, earning chuckles from his roommates.

"But did you not do the…"

"Star let them have their privacy. We shouldn't intrude on a private date night between them." Robin interrupted this time, hoping to avoid any hint of what he had been doing for fear of the larger man's reaction.

Just then the door swished open, saving the teenage heroes from any further awkward conversation as the last remaining member of the Titans walked in.

"Good morning everyone."

"Morning BB how was your evening? I hope you weren't bored without me around to kick your butt at video games."

"Nah just went for an evening fly help me relax a bit."

"Oh that sounds wonderful Beast Boy perhaps I may join you sometime?" The orange skinned girl happily asked.

"Sure Star sounds like fun."

'Perhaps you should ask to join as well Raven? With everything that has happened lately you could use some relaxation and bonding time with a teammate who doesn't wear more hair gel than should be legally allowed.' Knowledge suggested.

'Heck yeah that sounds like soooo much fun! We could even get BB to tell us some jokes maybe even find an amusement park or something to go to with him.' Happy exclaimed.

'I do not do amusement or parks. But maybe you are right it has been a bit tense between us lately.'

"Say Beast Boy, would you mind if I joined you two as well?" Raven spoke up, hoping to make amends for the argument they had engaged in.

The emerald skinned boy merely shrugged for pouring himself a bowl of cereal and busying himself with its consumption.

 _***TRwP***_

The following few days occurred much the same way, with Raven attempting to make small talk at various times with her fellow teammate and the responses being short, and often just gestures rather than anything audible.

It was starting to affect the empath more than she wanted to admit.

Sure she had always been annoyed with the green skinned menace but that didn't mean she enjoyed the silent treatment he had been giving her. But the more she thought about it the worse it was.

He wasn't ignoring her or acting angry towards her. Rather he was simply treating her like a teammate, nothing more, nothing less.

That hurt worse than any anger he could have shown towards her. It was his indifference that felt as though she was no longer worth his time, that she had broken an unspoken bond between the two of them that had connected them as family and friends before, now to remain only as coworkers.

A few days later and Jinx had left to help out the Titans East with a situation they had been stuck on.

"Hey Jinx, could I talk with you in private for a minute."

"Sure Raven whatsup?"

"I am in a bit of a situation with Beast Boy and since you two seem fairly close I was wondering if you had any advice."

"I guess so, but Vic would know way more than I would, why ask me and not him?"

"I was hoping for a neutral third party. Cyborg is very close friends with Beast Boy but is also very protective of me. I know that you won't pull any punches either way."

"True enough, so what's the situation?"

"Beast Boy and I had an argument a few days ago about what happened during a mission. I said some things I shouldn't have and now I am trying to make amends by spending some time with him but it's like he won't even bother talking to me. He doesn't seem angry, more like distant and professional."

"I didn't know Beast Boy could even be professional." The pink haired sorceress joked before taking on a thinking pose. "Have you tried apologizing to him?"

"I offered to help him with training and to spend some time with him and Starfire."

"So you haven't… Beast Boy isn't complicated Raven, most guys aren't. When you do something wrong they usually just want an apology and for you to admit you were wrong this time."

"I wasn't necessarily wrong I just…"

"There's your second problem, you are still acting like what happened was his fault, from what I heard it wasn't. You can't apologize to someone and mean it if you can't convince yourself of your guilt first."

"I wasn't wrong, and he will get over it eventually he just needs some time. This is Beast Boy after all. He can't take anything seriously for more than a few hours. I'm surprised he was able to keep up this act for this long."

"If you say so Raven, best of luck with sorting everything out."

 _***TRwP***_

The next day an alarm rang out through the tower, alerting the Titans to a break in at the First National Bank.

The team arrived less than a half hour later, and gathered together while Robin brought out a floorplan of the building.

Alright team here's the situation. Four armed men broke into the bank less than twenty minutes ago and have taken over twenty hostages. The men appear to be armed with light automatic weapons so nothing too heavy to worry about but it still presents the potential to be deadly.

"So what's the plan Robin?" Cyborg asked as the Titan's arrived at the scene of a bank robbery.

"Nothing fancy, Cyborg you and Beast Boy go in the back door to surprise the robbers, Star and I will go through the front. Raven will use her powers to remove the hostages from any ensuing fight and the can aid either group as needed." the Titan's nodded in understanding before splitting up to their various jobs.

 _***TRwP***_

The plan had gone well.

Robin and Starfire's entrance had caused enough confusion that the secondary infiltration had allowed Beast Boy and Cyborg to remove the man guarding the hostages without conflict. From there Raven had then preceded to teleport them out before returning to help the first two.

Then the situation became far more complicated.

From one of the side rooms another three men quickly exited, the difference being that these new opponents were not dressed or armed as the others had been.

The first was a large powerful man dressed in what appeared to be a type of high tech armor. He immediately rushed the dark skinned male, tackling him through a wall.

Before Robin could give out any orders the second individual, reached out with a strange looking gauntlet device, which sent forth a wave of sonic energy, shattering glass and throwing both the leader and his orange skinned companion backwards.

Raven's eyes immediately opened wide in horror at seeing her lover tossed against the ground so casually and began rushing to his side, her immediate surroundings forgotten.

In her haste she never saw the last man striding out into the main room, wearing a black trench coat and taking aim with a large revolver, before pulling the trigger.

The gun clicked a split second before launching a projectile towards its intended victim… only to be intercepted halfway through its path by a small green skinned boy.

 _***TRwP***_

As the young changeling lay on the floor, coughing up blood from the bullet now lodged in his chest, he became aware of the man slowly walking up to him, his gun trained on the boy's prone form the entire time.

"Funny I half expected you to change shapes and attack or something."

Beast Boy just let out a humorless chuckle, "Too dangerous with a bullet lodged in my chest, no telling where it might end up in my new form or possibly make it worse for when I change back."

"Ah pity," The man glanced around at the other Titans, noticing that Cyborg was still busy with his fight while the two girls were crouched over their leader with concerned looks on their faces as Raven was healing his leg.

Apparently Starfire had disabled the man responsible for his injury shortly after the attack.

"Some team you got here kid, two of them are more concerned about some boy's broken leg than their teammate who has a gun trained on him. Hell the one didn't even notice you took a bullet for her."

"That's my luck I suppose." The teen coughed up, trying to remain conscious to keep the man's attention diverted to him.

"If it makes you feel any better, you probably saved all of their lives, I can't risk fighting four of them at once and my other companion is about to fall. Shame that you have to die alone like this, not how you expected eh?"

"Actually it's pretty close to how I also figured I would end up."

"That look in your eyes doesn't suit one so young kid. What's your name anyway?"

"Beast Boy, why?"

"Hm I feel like I recognize you from somewhere… oh well, if you want to close your eyes I understand, not a whole lot of my targets want to watch the end."

"Thanks but I would rather see it coming."

"Your call"

The man raised the barrel, pointing it at the young boy's head.

Beast Boy stared back defiantly.

The trigger was pulled.

A gunshot thundered through the open air.

***A/N***

How's that for a cliffhanger? I couldn't quite decide on the wording for the last sentence so I hope it is good enough.

I enjoyed writing Beast Boy's little conversation with the mercenary. Parts of it were taken from 'The Transporter' if anyone caught that.

Poor Beast Boy, it is just his luck that he got me as a writer, and that for some reason I enjoy making my main characters suffer…

As always I hope everyone enjoyed reading!


	5. Dimming Lights

**The Roles we Play**

Dimming lights

Thanks to all who read, review, favorite, or follow.

***I wish I owned the Teen Titans, because the Holidays would be a lot easier I feel. ***

 _"We bereaved are not alone. We belong to the largest company in all the world – the company of those who have known suffering."_ –Helen Keller

 _***TRwP***_

Cyborg stood in the dimly lit room of the Titan's medical bay. In front of him was a concrete table, with a sheet thrown over what appeared to be the body of a teenager.

The large man stared silently at the corpse, wondering where he had gone wrong in life. When had he abandoned and failed his best friend?

His mind replayed the aftermath of their most recent mission again, struggling to find where he could have saved his friend's life.

 _***Flashback***_

After the mechanical man had managed to defeat his enemy he glanced over and saw the two female Titans huddled over Robin who was being healed from what appeared to be a leg wound.

Racing over he took note of another of their fallen enemies, the man having been bombarded by Starfire's energy bolts.

"You okay Robin?"

"Yeah I'll be fine, you took the big guy down I see."

"Yeah no sweat, so the invincible Boy Wonder can be injured eh?" The cybernetic man chuckled, earning glares from both females.

"He will be fine Cyborg, don't worry about that."

"Oh I know he will Rae, our Rob is made of a lot tougher stuff than normal people after all. So this seems like it was a lot more than just a casual bank robbery."

"I agree Cyborg, once we get back to the Tower we can review the video footage and see exactly what happened, we need to better train to prepare for ambushes like this in the future."

"Alright, but can we go out for pizza first? I am starving and I bet you could use some cheesy goodness as well."

The Titan leader just chuckled before nodding his head, earning a happy giggle from the Tamaranean.

"Alright go get Beast Boy and we will head out."

"Oh yeah where is the little guy?" Cyborg stood and finally took in his entire surroundings, before his eyes fell onto a body located towards the other side of the room.

"Figures BB is taking a nap after a battle." He laughed before jogging over.

"Hey BB come on man get up Rob is buyin…."

The mechanical man froze when he saw the blood.

His eyes opened wide in horror when he saw the chest wound.

His heart stopped when he saw the boy's head nearly blown to pieces.

"Oh God…"

 _***End Flashback***_

His shout of horror had immediately brought over the other Titans.

Raven threw up, Starfire had collapsed, too shocked to even cry, Robin crumpled onto the ground, muttering to himself, Cyborg's diagnostic system immediately scanned over the fallen Titan's vitals, and detected no traces of life.

The damage had been so severe that Raven would later admit even if she had been able to use her powers it wouldn't have mattered. Even her magic couldn't repair the brain.

So now the largest and oldest of the Titans stood before his deceased comrade and best friend. Hopelessness filled the young man he realized that he had been so preoccupied with his own fight and the others that he had not registered the sound of gunshots, even though the mechanical brain had.

He had failed his little brother, someone who he had sworn on his life to protect.

An innocent soul if ever there was one, someone who had seen far too much fighting in his young life to be even close to as cheerful as he was. Yet he kept moving forward. The boy was a role model of human endurance if ever there was one, he could turn any bad situation around and make the larger teen laugh despite the situation.

He was the light in the tower when no others would dare shine.

Now he was dead, killed far before his time in a way unbefitting of one so young and happy.

Beast Boy had been taken from this world and it seemed as though the lights were just a bit dimmer because of it.

 _***TRwP***_

Another blow resounded through the near empty gym as the Titan leader slammed his fist into the punching bag.

Training had always been one of the few activities that could keep his mind focused on only one thing at a time, not allowing him time to consider or obsess over anything else.

And there was much to obsess over.

Despite his physical activity Robin found his mind going over where he had failed earlier in the week, trying to find the one point at which he could have turned it around, trying to find the single point of failure.

He couldn't come up with one rather it was a single person that he found in his mental ponderings, himself.

After the team had reviewed the video a day later they witnessed the true horror of what had befallen their friend, he had been abandoned and ignored in his greatest time of need.

This had sent each of the Titans to a different area of the tower, each unable to face the others with their personal guilt.

He was supposed to lead his team, supposed to make sure each and every one of them performed their jobs in combat and made it out okay.

Sure there were the occasional injuries and that was to be expected, they fought criminals armed with advanced technology, magic, and super powers after all.

But now his failure was obvious.

It hadn't just been his leadership that had failed his team no it had been his personal emotions.

His involvement with the girls had lead them to favor his safety and well being over all others. It was so obvious now, looking back on how both of them would react to any situation involving the Boy Wonder.

He should have seen it far earlier on.

Batman would have.

 _***TRwP***_

The sobs from Starfire's room echoed through the empty halls.

The alien princess had been nearly confined to her room since her friend had died and they had watched what had happened on the monitor.

She had abandoned someone who had become like a little brother to her so quickly, and then ignored him in his time of need. She was the one who did not have an excuse.

Cyborg had been fighting his own battle while Raven had been healing their injured leader.

But her, what had she been doing? Sure she had defeated the first man but then had stood by Robin's side and worried over him. The others might have claimed she was merely protecting him but it had not been true.

If she had been watching for other attacks she would have seen the losing battle between the gunman and the changeling, she would have been able to lend assistance and he would have survived.

It was the first time in her life that she truly despised the control her emotions had over her, the first time that she wished to be more like Raven, cold and calculating.

If she could give up her emotions just to bring him back she would do so in an instant. His life was worth more than her happiness.

He had been the main source of happiness and pure joy in the tower since the formation of their family, though she would hesitate to call it that anymore. What kind of family ignores and abandons their youngest member?

Now she found herself incapable of joy or laughter. Instead her life was dull and grey during the daytime, having lost the color of the world along with his green skin.

At night she would cry until she would either fall asleep in exhaustion or run out of tears.

The Tamaranean briefly wondered if Raven and Robin were continuing their nightly activities. If they found comfort in each other then she would be happy for them, despite what the aching in her heart told her.

She knew that they both deserved the best, and who was better than them? Robin was strong, smart, confident, and wise.

Raven was intelligent and spiritual on a level that she could never match. Her two lovers could have conversations that she would simply smile at, not fully understanding what they meant. They came from similar worlds with similar customs and thus could understand what each other said, at times even finishing each other's sentences. They were made for each other, and the orange skilled alien was made for loneliness, a small price to pay for what she had done, who she had failed.

 _***TRwP***_

It was quiet, so very quiet.

In fact if Raven had to be honest with herself and since she was in her own mind there was very little reason not to be, it was far too quiet.

There was no laughter from Happiness.

No ranting from Rage.

No crying from Timid.

No threats from Brave.

No comments from any of the others.

There was just silence just the terrain and herself as she gently flew through the area.

Finally she spotted a small yellow flash on the ground. Descending she saw Knowledge sitting against a tree, staring at the ground in front of her as she mumbled incoherently.

"Knowledge what's wrong what are you saying?"

"Our fault, all our fault, should have seen it, should have paid more attention, should have trained more, should have kept meditating, not enough meditating, never enough, he would be alive, all that matters, couldn't heal him, couldn't save him, all our fault…"

"What happened here…?"

"Are you surprised?" a tiny voice squeaked out from behind her, causing Raven to rapidly spin around to confront the emotion she had never expected to see Timid.

"What…"

"This is the consequences of our actions, and our inactions." The grey cloaked girl muttered out sadly, glancing down at her fellow clone.

"But what happened to her, to the others?"

"They are in similar states, when one emotion is overpowering it takes control of the others, you should know this Raven with your empathy and all. Depression slowly takes over and replaces everything else when it is too strong, just like how all the other emotions can do this. When you feel confident Brave can overshadow us. When you feel happy we all can become cheerful. But now…"

"I have never seen the others be completely consumed like THIS before."

"You have never felt something as overwhelming as this before. Even when you were going through the Trigon crisis it was more of a balance, you were angry, you were afraid, you were sad, you were defiant, and you were hopeless. But at the time none of us were completely overpowering. Now though, all you feel deep down is depression. Even though you are angry it is focused on yourself which simply fuels me."

"And you are so knowledgeable about this because?"

"Because I am depression, sadness, and timid all rolled into one. Why would anyone know more about this type of thing than the literal representation of it?"

"So why am I not feeling this in the tower? Why are my emotions not going haywire? Why haven't I blown everything up?"

"Simple, it takes a strong overwhelming emotion and adrenaline to do this. Fear, anxiety, and anger all bring out this uncontrollable power. Why do you think you never melted Robin's face during sex? Happiness and love don't create the same spikes as negative emotions. As for now, depression is a sort of lack of emotion that is why nothing has changed outside. The big question of why you don't feel it is that you are so used to suppressing these things that it hasn't come to the surface yet. But it will, and when it does it will consume you completely. All you need is a trigger, and you will break completely."

"You're wrong, I will survive this, we will survive this…"

"But Beast Boy wont."

The real Raven's eyes opened wide in shock as it hit her for the first time. She had been in denial. Beast Boy had always been fine even when he was injured he would just wave it off with some stupid joke. No matter how bad things got he was always the voice of optimism, always encouraging others and fighting back the despair.

But now he was gone, who would put the team back together with him dead?

It truly was her fault everything Knowledge had said was true.

If she hadn't been so focused on Robin she would have seen what was happening. Then there was this obsession she had, after all it was just sex right? Although it was certainly a pleasant experience she would not trade it for her teammate's life, hell she would give her own just to bring him back. He deserved that much and more.

As Raven sank to her knees the last real conversation they had came to her mind. She had again taken Robin's side over his, again pushed him away and treated him more like an outsider than a friend. But he had been right. Saving an innocent life rather than ensuring another hero was safe should have been the correct response, and if Robin had done so she probably would have worshipped him later that night even more.

Now she felt even more alone than ever, was this what Beast Boy felt like when he watched everyone else? Alone, like an outsider in his own home?

 _***TRwP***_

Jinx had arrived the day after the mission, not knowing exactly what to expect.

She had been called by Robin with the instructions to return to Jump City as quickly as possible, that there had been "complications" during a mission and that they would need the extra help for now.

Since she had been the only one summoned there was a sickening feeling in her stomach that Cyborg had been hurt.

After she had arrived, and practically ran to the cybernetic man's room, only to find it empty, the pink haired teen wandered around the tower, desperate to locate someone who could inform her of what was happening. She finally located Robin in the main room scanning through information on a computer.

"Robin I'm here sorry it took so long, what happened, where is everyone?"

"Thank you for coming Jinx, I think Raven and Starfire are in their rooms, Cyborg is… downstairs in the medical bay."

"Oh God… is he… okay?"

Robin continued scanning through files, not being able to even look the girl in the eyes while replying with an empty and emotionless voice.

"He's okay the complication wasn't involving him directly."

"What do you mean 'directly'? If everyone else is okay then…" The pale skinned girl stopped, a cold shiver running down her spine as tears threatened her eyes for an unknown reason. "Robin… where is Beast Boy?"

The Titan leader was silent for what felt like an eternity, before his whispered out an answer.

"His… remains are in the medical bay."

"No… no no no no no… Oh God no…." The girl started chanting before falling onto her knees, tears leaking down her face as she struggled to breathe.

In an instant the Boy Wonder was next to her, his arm around her shoulders as he tried to comfort her.

"W-what h-happened?"

"We were ambushed during a bank robbery Beast Boy was shot while protecting Raven."

"C-can I see him?"

"Come on I'll take you down to talk with Cyborg."

 _***TRwP***_

The young sorceress found herself sitting on a chair outside of the medical bay, along the way Starfire had been informed of her presence and had come out to walk alongside her.

Jinx had never seen the orange skinned girl so empty and heartbroken before.

Robin had gone inside to find the cybernetic teen while the final Titan female had emerged from the nearby stair case and joined the other two outside the room.

"Have either of you been in to… see him?"

"I saw him when we first discovered…" Raven couldn't bring herself to say 'his body' quite yet, hoping that somehow he was just pulling a prank of some kind.

"He does not look like Beast Boy…" Starfire sadly muttered, almost to herself than anyone else.

"What do you mean…?"

"He received massive head trauma, facial recognition would be impossible at this point."

The three girls looked up to see Cyborg and Robin having emerged from the room.

It was immediately apparent that the larger of the two hadn't slept since it had occurred. He smelt of chemicals and disinfectant.

"Vic..."

"Along with the head wound he had been shot in the upper chest, without immediate medical care he would have bled out in less than half an hour."

"Victor…"

Jinx couldn't stand the way her boyfriend was just relaying facts, sounding more like a machine giving an analysis than a human being.

"Remains have been wrapped since then, autopsy not required at this point in time. We will need to search through for any requests he might have for disposal of…"

"DAMNIT VICTOR STONE LOOK AT ME!"

The man halted his eyes wide as he stared at the seething pink haired heroine along with the rest of those present.

"Group meeting, upstairs, NOW!"

With that the girl grabbed onto her boyfriends hand, and practically dragged him to the nearby elevator, with the other Titans hurrying along after her.

 _***TRwP***_

"I know what you are all doing it is so obvious that a freaking child could tell. You are all blaming yourselves for what happened. So this is what we are going to do. _Everyone_ is going to take a turn sharing what they believed was their fault. Then we are going to explain why you are wrong and get you all back to recovering like normal human beings."

"Jinx I don't think…"

"Oh really Robin? Then explain how this mess is going to just work itself out if we don't do this, because from what I have seen your team is falling apart and I will be damned if I let everyone blame themselves for something they had no control over, I owe Beast Boy at least that much for everything he has done for me."

Silence reigned as each Titan was busy with their own thoughts before Starfire began, in a whispered tone.

"I wish to apologize to everyone for letting Beast Boy die."

"Star, what do you mean you didn…"

"YES I DID! Don't you see? I was the only one not occupied, you were injured, Raven was healing you, and Cyborg was fighting. What was I doing!? I stood there and watched her. I was so caught up in my jealousy towards your relationship that I wasn't paying attention to anything else. I am a terrible friend!" The girl cried out,

"No Star you didn't fail him, because I did. It was my fault all of this happened anyways."

"Rob this isn't because of you, there was nothing you could have done. You were injured for God's sake."

"But my job is to be the leader Cyborg. My job is to ensure that everyone makes it out alive and unharmed. How many times have I failed at this simple job? How many times have one of you been injured hell I caused some of the injuries myself! Now look at us, I should have told Starfire to back you up immediately, I should have been prepared for an ambush, I should have…"

"You should have trusted me to watch his back, and you did. If it is anyone's fault it's mine Rob. I was the one who went in with him I was the one who was supposed to protect him."

"You cannot protect everyone Cyborg, we are a team and…" The orange skinned beauty tried to comfort the larger man between her own tears.

"DON'T YOU GET IT!? I WAS HIS OLDER BROTHER IT'S MY JOB TO PROTECT EVERYONE, THAT IS WHY WE ARE OLDER TO PROTECT THE YOUNGER ONES." At this point the cybernetic teen broke down and began sobbing into his hands. The death of the first person to truly accept him for what he was. His first true friend after his accident was gone, and he blamed himself.

"You're wrong…"

This slight muttering from the other side of the couch brought everyone's attention to the empath.

"It was me… he died because of me. The first bullet he took was because I was more worried about Robin's leg than the battle around us. Even then I didn't even notice he had fallen, or the gunshot, or anything else. I should be the one laying on that concrete table not him. I am the demon not him. Demons and monsters are supposed to die, not the heroes that fall protecting innocent people. Beast Boy was a hero that I constantly belittled, yelled at, ridiculed, and hurt because… hell I don't even know why I did it. Maybe I am just a demon like everyone thinks, something that can't stand the sight of other's happiness. You are jealous of Robin and I Starfire? Please I am the one jealous of the two of you. You are so close and can be emotional and comforting around each other while all I do is make sarcastic remarks and remain emotionless to everyone's problems, some empath I am."

Again a silence permeated through the room, but this time it was broken by Jinx, "You are all wrong, it was my fault, I should have stayed in Jump."

The Titans almost snapped their necks twisting so fast to stare at the girl.

"It's true," she continued. "If I had been there you would have had another person to help the rear door, I would have been able to end Vic's fight easier or could have backed up BB at the start."

"Jinx this isn't…"

"Or maybe it is the cops fault? After all they were the ones who gave you bad information, who the hell doesn't notice three freaks looking like that walk into the bank, or notice that your count of robbers is off by so much? Or the people who installed the security system, it should have linked the cameras more fluidly so that you could check in real time rather than afterwards. Maybe it was even Beast Boy's fault, if he had been better trained and faster he could have intercepted the guy BEFORE he shot at Raven, stopping this entire situation."

The girl continued ranting as the others just stared, unable to interrupt what seemed to be the girl's breakdown, when she stopped and looked up very seriously at them.

"Or maybe it is no one's fault? Maybe, just maybe these types of horrific things happen when you take on the role of hero and protector. Do any of you really believe Beast Boy would blame anyone for his death? Does anyone here really think he would prefer you all to sit around moping and crying about where you went wrong, rather than having a party to celebrate all the good things he had done in his life? I bet you any amount of money that he is up there looking down frowning at the fact that not a single joke has been told yet."

The others fell into silence after this, each pondering her words, before a small smile crossed Robin's face.

"Do any of you remember that time when Beast Boy finally got the moped, and it was trashed in a single night?"

This caused Starfire to giggle a bit, while the other three Titans smiled at the memory.

"Man he was soooo thrilled to have that thing, and I was sooooo thrilled to have an excuse not to let him borrow the T-Car."

"He really was the worst driver ever, you would think that someone with the reflexes that he had would be able to avoid hitting every stationary object on a street." Raven chimed in, remembering the look on everyone's faces when he returned Cyborg's 'baby' with a fire hydrant lodged in the hood.

"That was terrible… I made him wash the entire garage the next day _and_ wax the car after I was done getting the dents out." This time Cyborg chuckled, remembering how the poor boy was covered in so much dirt that he looked black and gray rather than green.

"Oh yes and also the time in which he replaced all of the meats with the tofus of goodness as he called them."

"You don't need to remind me of that Star, my stomach is still recovering." The larger man grumbled, earning a giggle from his girlfriend.

"He always did have a way of cheering everyone up, even if it was through his own misery. I wonder how many times you threw him out of those windows Raven."

"One hundred and four to one hundred and twenty seven, depending on how you count It." the pale half demon answered the equally pale sorceress.

"Oh man, remember that time he replaced EVERY single lightbulb with pink colored ones? That was fantastic…" Cyborg commented, this time roaring out in laughter while Robin had a full on smile on his face.

"What!? How did I miss that one?" Jinx lamented, enjoying the idea of the entire Tower being pink.

"I still never figured out where he got all those bulbs…" Robin mused.

"He truly was good at the pulling of pranks." The Tamaranean complimented.

"Even if they did end up biting him in the ass more often than not." Raven added in.

"See this is what he would have wanted, the only thing missing are the other Titans and a tofu pizza." The others nodded at Jinx's comment as they continued sharing memories into the evening, and indeed ordered a pizza in his honor.

"Not to spoil the mood or anything but I did just think of something you need to address."

"What's up Jinx?"

"You need to contact Beast Boy's next of kin, to you know… let them know what happened."

The cheerfulness seemed to die down a bit at this comment before Raven glanced over to her leader.

"Robin, who are Beast Boy's next of kin anyway?"

"Uh…. Cyborg?"

The mechanical man thought for a second, going over the information he had stored both in his electronic and biological memories.

"That's weird, I don't recall him ever mentioning anything about his family or where he came from."

"Okay well that is simple enough, just use the wonders of the internet and do a search for his real name."

Again the Titans took on puzzled looks at the pink haired girl's suggestion.

"You do know what his real name is correct?"

"Umm…. No?"

"How the hell do you guys not know his real name? I mean I understand not knowing Robin's but…"

"Actually we all know Robin's real name, he revealed it to us a year or so ago."

"Wait you know the identity of the Boy Wonder, Batman's apprentice whose identity is so secret that the rumor in the HIVE was that he didn't actually have a face under the mask, and that it was actually part of his head, but you don't know the name of the green kid on your team who was the loudest superhero to ever grace the world?"

"That…. Pretty much sums it up yeah."

"Oh good lord, well do you at least have some way of figuring this out?"

"We do have the emergency wills we all created when first joining the team…" Robin muttered, before Cyborg made his way over to a computer and punched in some codes to access the files.

"Here is is…. Huh that's weird."

"What is it Cyborg?"

"Robin…. Who is the Doom Patrol?"

***A/N***

For those of you who didn't think I would do it… I sure showed you, because all I do is murder main characters, all day long, like it's my job… and in a small sense I feel as though it is.

If anyone is a bit confused about the Team's reactions, I removed the events from the episode "Homecoming" thus no one is aware of Beast Boy's origins or who the Doom Patrol is. Also I am changing what I understand is the role of this team from canon they are going to be much more badass now.

Overall I rather enjoyed how this chapter turned out, I was intending on putting a lot more into this one but the Titan's reactions were so long that I decided not to push my luck and put the Doom Patrol in this chapter, because if I did I think it would have been either rushed or like 10k words long.

Apologies to anyone who reviewed, I normally PM back to anyone who does but FF's commenting system is kind of broke right now so…. When it comes back up I will be responding though.

A few people have been making suggestions, and I am sad because I can't do all of them, since they contradict so much.

As always I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I liked writing it.


	6. Arrival of Doom

**The Roles we Play**

Arrival of doom

Thanks to all those who have the patience to put up with my crap and occasionally review or favorite it.

***I still own no part of any of my stories, nor do I make any money on them. ***

 _"…every human being is doomed to die, which is the greatest of all failures."_ – George Orwell

 _***TRwP***_

The Titans stood before the large monitor, waiting for the connection that Robin had just setup to be made, each feeling their own level of discomfort at what they were about to do.

A few minutes passed until the chime signaled that the receiving party had answered.

The screen was filled with a darkness that was beyond what most of them could ever describe, as the infamous crime fighter appeared.

"Robin."

"Batman."

Another minute passed with the two former teammates staring each other down, neither willing to concede the contest of wills. It was Raven that finally snapped.

"Would you just ask him already!"

Robin sent a stubborn glare towards the empath before clearing his throat and returning his gaze to his former mentor.

"Batman, we recently…. lost a teammate and were trying to reach his family, unfortunately we have become aware that we knew very little about him and his own contact in case of emergencies was a note that said 'Contact the Doom Patrol'. I was wondering if you knew who they are."

The man on the other end noticeably stiffened at the name, something that shocked the Boy Wonder, though he would never show it. Anything that could surprise or make the legendary Batman uncomfortable was bound to be something dangerous.

"What teammate was this?"

"Beast Boy."

Again the man seemed to have a strange reaction at the news before scowling in agitation. "Are you sure of the note?"

"Yeah we are Mr. uh Batman sir. That was the only thing he wrote in his emergency file." The cybernetic teen hastily replied after the crime fighter's attention had turned to him.

"Who are they? Why is it so strange that Beast Boy would have been a part of them?"

"You said he was the youngest member of your team correct? That he joined when he was very young, maybe even twelve?"

"That's correct."

"The Doom Patrol is a folk tale in the criminal underworld and even among some heroes. Rumor is that they are a highly classified black ops group of super powered individuals that work towards the goals of the United States government."

"What do you mean work towards?" Starfire chimed in but immediately hid behind her leader when the imposing man shifted his gaze towards her.

"The government does not acknowledge their existence they are supposedly beyond normal black ops. They are the ones who eliminate terrorists, topple governments, remove and insert dictators depending on the area they are in. They are the ones who do the dirty work so that the civilians, military, and even super heroes don't have to."

"If they are just a legend then are you sure they even exist?"

"Oh they exist alright. I crossed paths with them once a long time ago before I met you. I was working on a case concerning Ra's Al Ghul at the time and they happened to be in the area hunting down a terrorist cell. They are very serious about their job and very dangerous should you be their target."

"Any chance you can get us in touch with them? If Beast Boy knows them as he claimed then maybe…"

"No one just 'gets in touch with them'. If Beast Boy was truly part of their group then they will contact you if they want to, otherwise there is nothing you can do but wait."

Robin merely nodded at his mentor's instructions, but before either could cut the communication line the Dark Knight spoke one last time.

"Robin… for what it's worth, I am sorry about your friend."

With that the screen went dark once more.

"Rob, if these Doom guys are scary enough to give Batman the chills how the hell did Beast Boy ever meet them? I mean the guy was good at being a hero and all but he was the furthest thing from black ops possible, except maybe Control Freak." The largest Titan asked, turning towards his leader.

"No idea, but your right Beast Boy's personality is so opposite of what you would expect from their description that…"

"Excuse me, friends but what exactly are the ops of the dark?"

"It's kind of complicated Star, black ops are the behind the scenes military or groups that deal in secretive operations and assignments such as assassinations, sabotage, espionage, and things like that. What truly bothers me though is that if the note and what Batman said were true… then Beast Boy would have been a member of this group at an extremely young age. If he was with them for any length of time it makes me wonder how he was able to be so… normal."

"Beast Boy, normal?"

"Hey now Rae be nice, sure the guy was a bit…eccentric and strange at times. But considering what he must have seen, what he must have done? Hell I am surprised he wasn't more like Robin."

"What is that supposed to mean Cyborg?"

"Nothing… just talking to myself hehe…"

 _***TRwP***_

Later that day Raven went into Nevermore to once again try and find some semblance of peace, although her powers had not be going chaotic she had noticed that they were noticeably… diminished.

This time she did not need to look far to find her various emoticlones, in various states of depression.

"Timid… how are they doing?"

"The better question is how are _you_ doing? With all the information that has come to light don't you feel even worse? Don't bother lying either you know I can feel what you do."

"I am confused for certain but… I mean it can't be true right? Lovable stupid goofy Beast Boy a hardcore killer?"

"Is it not often the shy ones that are the most to be feared? How many times have we seen the truly deranged psychopaths act like normal people, even pillars of their community but be responsible for the killing of dozens of innocent people?"

"I suppose you are right."

"What I would like to know now is, would this event be as bad if it was someone else lying on that table?"

"What do you mean, if another Titan had died instead? Of course it would have been! I love all my friends equally…"

"Who are you trying to lie to now, me or you, even if we are the same person."

"I suppose if it was Robin it would have been worse."

"Are you so sure? I will agree we have a connection with him, but it seems more physical than anything else, he is a leader, and a physical release. To us he seems the relationship almost seems like what one of his fans would have if they were given their wish to be in a relationship him but stuck with Starfire at the same time."

"I don't know what you are implying but I don't like it."

"You and I both know that we… admired Beast Boy. He was the beacon of hope in an otherwise lonely and dreary world. He was the one who tried to bring us out of the shell we had constructed, tried to make us be social. He was the first one to make us feel like part of the team, to make us feel… normal."

"Beast Boy was anything but normal."

"But that is exactly what was special about him, his oddities made him unique and by doing so it made us feel like we fit in more than we did. Let's be honest if Beast Boy wasn't around who do you think would have made the effort for us to eat with everyone else, or join them during movie night? Without him we would have been the strangest person on the team by far, this would have served to isolate us even further."

"How are you acting like knowledge all of a sudden shouldn't you be more… like you?"

"A side effect of your depression and my strengthening, which is another danger we are currently in. As I grow stronger I have begun taking over the other emotions, assimilating them in a sense. If this continues on everything will be placed under my control and your powers will dampen to the point of being nearly useless in combat."

"So what do we do?"

The grey cloaked clone merely sighed, and looked off into the sky.

"I don't know we both know that the next step is acceptance and to move past him but… it feels too soon, it feels wrong to just forget about one of the most important people in our lives."

"He wouldn't want us to sit around mourning him like this."

"Are you sure? How much do you really know about your former teammate?"

At this question the true Raven fell silent, ending up with more questions than answers.

 _***TRwP***_

Two more days passed with the team struggling to find some semblance of normalcy again, until Starfire came into the common room one evening, a rather confused look on her face.

"What's up Star?" The larger man questioned, while sitting next to his girlfriend.

"Does anyone know why the large ship is on the roof?"

"Star there isn't anything on the roof, especially not a ship. The Tower's defense sensors would have gone off before it even got close to our airspace."

Just then a beeping indicated that someone had activated the communication device on the roof door.

"Uh…. Cyborg?"

"Don't look at me we should have detected them."

The leader hastily punched the answering button, displaying a somewhat older man on the monitor who gazed back with intensity worthy of even Batman.

"Raven…"

"I can't sense anyone besides us Star, whoever that is he is completely shielded from my empathy somehow."

"This is the headquarters of The Teen Titans correct?"

"Yes… and you are?"

"Mento, leader of the Doom Patrol."

 _***TRwP***_

The mercenary leader furiously typed on his computer, it had been days since their ambush of the amateur heroes and his two allies were just now fully recovered from the battle.

Finally he managed to get ahold of the one who had hired him, the ex-mercenary Slade.

"Ah what a pleasant surprise, though I must say I wasn't expecting to hear from you until the other Titans were defeated, still one out of five isn't the worst progress."

"Cut the crap Slade! What the hell were you thinking sending us in there?"

"Whatever do you mean? I gave you ample amount of time and information to complete your goal, the client is happy with the report of Beast Boy's demise but is still waiting for the rest of them to be in the ground as well."

"You think we are going back there!? Are you insane? The only option we have now is to hide in some third world country and pray to God we aren't found."

The masked man merely raised an eyebrow at the contracted killer's exclamation, though no one could tell.

"And why is that? Do you really believe the Titans will seek revenge on you? Even if they do it won't be too much trouble for you to deal with them. I would be more concerned about bringing the wrath of the Justice League down upon you but none of them were terribly close to…"

"I DON'T GIVE TWO SHITS ABOUT THE JUSTICE LEAGUE YOU MORON!" The man shouted, before calming himself down with some deep breaths in order to continue in a calmer tone. "The worst they would do is arrest us, no what I think that you just so happened to forget is to mention who the green brat was."

"I told you his name and powers what else…"

"What about the fact that he is ex-Doom Patrol?"

For the first time in the conversation the other mercenaries in the room gasped at the name. They had been wondering what their leader was so angry about but with the mention of… _them_ it was obvious. Slade had signed their death warrants if he was correct.

"I believe you are mistaken, the Doom Patrol is a myth. A legend that is told in the super max security prisons to keep the inmates in line and so that Super Villains do not go on killing sprees."

"You're wrong they are very real and very dangerous. Who the hell do you think found Bin Laden and Hussein, random soldiers? That was the cover story so that the government wouldn't be accused of sending super heroes into foreign nations."

"If that is true then what do you intend to do now?"

"I told you, we are going to hide in some third world country for the rest of our lives with the money we are owed, and pray to whoever is listening that the little brat's former teammates don't decide to make us their number one priority."

With that the mercenary captain terminated the communications and turned to his two allies.

"Pack up anything you want or need for the rest of your lives, I hear that Bolivia is nice this time of year."

 _***TRwP***_

"Before we proceed to your medical bay I would like to hear from you what exactly happened to our former teammate." The imposing man commanded, his eyes slowly roaming around the room at each of the teens.

For what felt like hours the Titans just sat in silence, each finding the floor or walls more interesting to look at than anything else in the room until, "I Wasn't there sir but I have seen a bit of the footage." Jinx began, drawing everyone's attention.

"It was supposed to be a routine bank robbery. Robin had ordered the Titans into three groups, Beast Boy and Cyborg would go in the back, while he and Starfire would make a loud front entrance. In the chaos Raven would extract the hostages."

She looked the man straight in the eyes, and seeing his slight gesture to go on, the pink haired sorceress took another deep breath.

"From what I can tell the mission was an initial success. The robbers were just guys in ski masks and light weapons after all so taking them out was no big deal. However it was around this time that three more enemies emerged from a nearby office. One charged into Cyborg, taking him through a wall and out of the fight, another sent a wave of what seemed to be sonic energy, injuring Robin."

The girl took a short pause to gather her thoughts before continuing on.

"Once Robin was injured Starfire began attacking the one responsible, taking him out in a barrage of energy blasts while Raven ran to help her injured leader, what she hadn't seen was a third man emerging and taking aim at her with a pistol."

Again the teenager had to pause, feeling tears threatening to come pouring from her eyes at what she would have to say next she took a few deep breaths, calming her nerves and strengthening her voice so as not to waver, The Doom Patrol sat quietly while waiting for her to finish.

"He m-managed to intercept the bullet, taking the projectile in his chest. A-after he fell down the gunman walked over to him where they had a brief exchange, though we a-are not sure what was said. Then t-the m-man raised his gun and…"

That was all she could get out before breaking down into tears, with Cyborg taking her into his arms for comfort.

"Afterwards I defeated my opponent and came back into the room and caught sight of the two girls with Robin. I made my way over to see if he had been injured but by that point his leg was completely healed. It wasn't until around a minute later that we noticed Beast Boy wasn't with us and I went searching… and found his body."

The older man seemed to process the story for a few moments before asking more questions.

"What happened to the three men?"

"We aren't sure, Cyborg left his under a pile of rubble and Starfire's had been knocked out. When we saw Beast Boy's remains it must have distracted us for long enough for their leader to retrieve them and escape." Robin answered.

"There seems to have been quite a few distractions during this mission if your report is correct."

"It normally isn't this bad, we work as a team and…"

"If I recall correctly there was another incident not so long ago of Beast Boy's welfare being… forgotten about." The man mused, earning winces from the younger super heroes.

"Yes… we were called upon by the local FBI, police chief, and Mayor to help on an undercover operation to stop a serial killer. Beast Boy volunteered to take Robin's place as the bait and was captured by the man, we were not made aware of it until after dealing with an escaped super villain." The empath answered, trying to force the guilt out of her mind unsuccessfully.

"It never crossed any of your minds that it was a distraction?"

"Not until afterwards."

"Interesting… as I understand it you also were not responsible for his safe return during that mission either correct?"

"No sir…" This time it was Starfire who spoke up, "We searched for days but could not find any sign of him, until he arrived back at the tower."

"I see I am starting to wonder why Beast Boy ever stayed with this group as long as he did with your definition of 'friendship'."

"Listen here jerk, we might not have been perfect and we might still have some problems but we were Beast Boys family, I don't care who he used to be or what he used to do. If you think otherwise you can shove it up your…"

"CYBORG ENOUGH!"

The mechanical teen took a few reluctant steps back from the older man, who had not seemed nervous in the slightest even when the hero had stepped up directly in front of him.

"Sorry about that, we have all been taking Beast Boy's loss pretty hard and… well I am not sure how your group handled his loss but for us it was losing a member of our family." The Boy Wonder explained.

"This is undoubtedly one of the reasons for your mediocre performances."

"Excuse me?" This time it was Robin who stepped forward, not liking the way that the opposing leader spoke.

"You are a team of super heroes, not a family. Families have emotional attachments to each other and would most likely choose one of their own rather than accomplishing a mission or saving another person. Such emotions have no place on the battlefield or in a mission."

"Who are you to question us? Beast Boy left your team so clearly he wasn't happy there." Raven had immediately stood to support her leader and their team.

"Oh? I suppose he was happy here being ignored then?"

Silence fell over the room after that before Mento turned to look at his team, who had remained silent thus far.

"Does anyone have anything to ask the Titans?"

"Yes sir" A large mechanical man stepped forward, easily dwarfing even Cyborg in size. Turning toward his fellow cybernetic human the larger man directed his questioning towards him.

"Cyborg right? You said that you considered Beast Boy to be something of a brother to you?"

The dark skinned teen nodded his head in renewed determination.

"Tell me, did he seem happy?"

"I…" The Titan paused, going over everything he knew about his best friend, all of the quirks, the secrets that now seemed to be popping up, the way he was treated by his own team.

"I thought he did, now I am not so sure anymore. The guy was my little brother and best friend I would have traded my life for his in a heartbeat if I thought he would accept, but knowing him he would have shot me down saying some stupid joke before charging in headfirst."

The larger of the two men seemed to nod before returning to his position with his team.

"Now then if no one has any more questions, you did say that the 'event' took place close to a week ago correct?"

"That's correct" Robin answered, trying to suppress the urge to punch the man in his face.

"Hmm" the older hero glanced down at a digital watch on his arm and seemed to be deep in thought for a moment. "Slower than usual, we will have to remedy that." He muttered out, earning confused stares from the Titans.

"Well then, if you would be so kind as to lead us down to where you are keeping him we would appreciate it."

Robin slowly nodded before gesturing to follow him, which all the assembled heroes did.

 _***TRwP***_

"How the hell can they be so calm so uncaring?" Jinx muttered out next to her boyfriend and Raven.

"It must be their training, if what Batman and Robin said were true then they are probably conditioned to suppress all emotions, it would be a liability during a mission after all just like Mento said." Cyborg answered, earning a slight glare from the empath.

"Don't tell me that you are starting to believe his 'the best hero is a mindless drone' nonsense."

"Of course not, hell even you can't follow that Rae and your powers are practically based on mental and emotional control. I am just saying that during an actual fight when lives are on the line, not freaking out or breaking down from emotional trauma is an important skill to know. Think of how many times we have won just because we got the bad guys angry."

"He's right in that regard I suppose, but did you see the others? They just stood in silence with no facial expressions at all, it was like they didn't even care about Beast Boy."

"They might not have, if they are just a military group then maybe they didn't have any emotional attachments to the little guy. It seems like they were more of just coworkers rather than family…"

"Do not judge us based on our outward appearance." A voice called from next to them as Negative Man had fallen back after hearing the conversation. "Just because we do not openly weep does not mean that we are without emotion. Beast Boy was just as much a member of our family as he is yours, perhaps even more so with how you have portrayed your recent lives with him."

Cyborg was about to retaliate when they reached their destination.

"Right in here is where his… remains are, I will warn you though that the damage was very extensive, you might not recognize him."

"I would recognize my son anywhere." The female member of the Doom Patrol spoke up for the first time. As Mento nodded and stepped up to the door before sliding it open.

Light came pouring out into the hallway, much to the Titans surprise, they were sure that Cyborg had left the room in the dark and he had been the last one inside.

"Report!" Was the single command given by the older commander as he stepped inside.

The Titans could only gape in shock as a young green skinned boy turned around, immediately snapping to attention in a military pose.

***A/N***

Sorry this chapter seemed a bit short, but I really wanted to end it with that little cliffhanger. Also I hope no one is disappointed with it, although I liked how it turned out it seems a bit worse than some of my previous ones.

So Beast Boy is alive… but how? Rest assured to all of those who are going to immediately call B.S. or cheating or magic or whatever. Nope sorry your all wrong, this entire scenario was planned out from before I started writing and this little turn of events took a good deal of research from me to actually figure out, but it works and will be explained next chapter.

As I said before I wanted the Doom Patrol to be more badass than they were in the show, hence the Black Ops aspect, for those who might be upset with them 'taking credit' for Hussein and Bin Laden, I just thought it was a neat little change from history, because let's be honest. If the government really was out to get certain dangerous individuals they wouldn't leave it to chance.

To all those who were sure I killed him, did anyone truly believe I would permanently kill the main character in chapter four? If so then I am way better at fooling people than I thought.

Either way I hope you all enjoyed this, albeit somewhat short, chapter. I had a lot of fun writing.


	7. The Joker

**The Roles we Play**

The Joker

Big thanks to everyone who is reviewing, favoriting, following, or reading my story!

***If I owned Teen Titans it sure as heck would not have been a kid's show. ***

 _"It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not."_ – André Gide,

 _***TRwP***_

The Titans stood speechless, their friend and brother was standing in front of them… alive! He looked completely unharmed despite what had happened days earlier. In fact the only change he appeared to have was that he looked malnourished, that and the fact he was standing at military attention with an unreadable emotionless expression on his face.

"Sir!"

Mento caught sight of the items lying on the table behind his former teammate and nodded slightly.

"You may continue until you are balanced out, then I would like my report."

"Thank you sir!"

The teen heroes watched in shock as their friend turned around and continued devouring the laid out food and liquids. Nutritional bars, vitamins, bottled water, protein drinks, Soy products. All of it was being eaten as quickly as possible, yet he strangely wasn't making a mess of himself for the first time.

"B-Beast Boy?" Robin was the first to recover, only for the boy to apparently ignore his comment and continue eating.

"Let the poor kid eat, he needs to after all." It was Robotman who spoke up this time, looking warmly towards the former Doom Patrol member.

"B-but how!?" This time Cyborg whispered out, staring in disbelief at his self proclaimed younger brother.

A mumbled response was all that the boy gave before continuing his rampage through the acquired food.

"What he meant to say was Axolotl and Hydractinia." The bandaged wrapped man replied, earning dumbfounded looks from the Titans.

"They are animals that can regenerate their brains." The only female of the Doom Patrol clarified, while giving the green boy a warm smile.

"Okay… but how did Beast Boy do that, he isn't either of those two creatures…" The empath inquired, for once not having an answer despite being the self 'proclaimed smartest team member'.

After gulping down a large amount of what appeared to be protein shake the changeling in question responded.

"In my human form I am able to take on and evolve traits of various animals, such as regeneration, stronger bones, tougher muscles, enhanced reflexes and such."

"Why only in your human form though BB?" The cybernetic teen inquired.

"I had to learn how to shift into each animal form I possess, and acquire DNA from them in order to take on their likeness. Altering their forms after I have done so is far more complicated than just changing the form I was born in. It would be like working out and exercising your mechanical muscles rather than your human ones. Sure you can probably find a way to do it but it doesn't make it any easier. It is far simpler to just replace and upgrade them entirely rather than try and make alterations."

Robin couldn't believe the boy in front of them even was their former teammate, since when was Beast Boy so… intelligent?

As he finished up a protein bar the boy snapped back into military attention, returning his stare to his former commander.

"Go on"

"We arrived at the scene of a heist in progress at fourteen hundred hours. Surveillance was notably poor and the team was split into groups of three in order to surprise and flank the targets while escorting civilians to safety. It was an ambush."

The Titan's eyes widened in shock, sure the situation had gone wrong, terribly wrong, but the idea that it was an ambush hadn't even occurred to them.

"Reasoning?"

The green skinned boy shifted slightly and picked up a small object from a nearby tray, before throwing it directly at the older man, who easily caught it.

Glancing down he scowled slightly before handing it over to his robotic teammate, who had inserted it into a small compartment for analysis.

Robotman's eyes widened when it was finished.

"So I was right then?"

"Looks like it Beast Boy, how the hell did they get that stuff?"

"So the big question is… who did you manage to anger enough to warrant a hit of this magnitude?" The psychic man inquired again.

"No clue, but one thing is for sure, whoever it is has money. That crap isn't cheap no matter where you get it from."

"Get what from Beast Boy, what are you talking about?"

"Nth metal" The boy replied, earning a shocked look from Robin.

"Robin what is the metal of Nth?"

"It's complicated Star."

"Not really, it's a metal that negates magical properties. It was also what the first bullet that impacted me was made of."

"From your allies reports that was the one you intercepted for your teammate correct?" Mento inquired, earning a nod from his former student.

"I don't get it, what's the point?" Jinx asked, for the first time since arriving at the medical bay.

"If you were going to create a bullet to kill Raven with, Nth metal is what it would be made of." The green teenager clarified, sending a cold chill down the various Titan's spines.

"The second bullet seemed to be of a much higher caliber, way too high for normal encounters, but perfect for killing larger creatures, such as animals."

"So they were indeed trying to kill you and your team." The Doom Patrol leader mused, before turning to his team and noticing his wife's look of anticipation.

Giving out a sigh he gestured for her to proceed.

"Go ahead."

Elasti-girl started walking towards the youngest boy.

"Gar…" she called out in a warm, motherly tone

"Mom" the boy replied, back warmly before rushing forward and embracing the woman in a fierce hug.

"Not to interrupt anything but… why did you call him 'Gar'?" Cyborg hesitantly spoke up, a bit confused on the matter.

"Because that is his name." The woman responded, as if the answer were obvious.

 _***TRwP***_

"So uh Beast Boy, you mind clueing us in as to why you never mentioned the fact that you can come back from the dead?" Cyborg inquired in a somewhat accusing manner as the superheroes sat in the common room.

"I can't come back from the dead, I'm not magic."

"It sure seems that way, Cyborg read your vital signs and you didn't have any, plus the whole losing most of your head thing." Robin agreed as he stared questioningly at the young boy.

"I went into hibernation. My body is trained to do so should I suffer life threatening injuries. It basically stops my heart to avoid bleeding out and halts all but the lowest levels of brain activity and cellular functions so that the healing has more energy to work with."

"Which is why you are eating so much…" Raven suddenly pointed out from the other side of those gathered.

"Can't heal unless I have something to use to rebuild with, didn't anyone ever wonder why my emergency kit in the medical chambers was packed with nutrients and food?"

"Hehe just figured you wanted something to munch on when you got bored with all the tests and stuff…" Cyborg chuckled, rubbing the back of his head as a sign of embarrassment.

"That still does not explain why we were kept in the darkness, Beast Boy why did you not tell us of this power of yours?" The orange skinned girl asked, as tears threatening to come to her eyes.

"Never tell anyone exactly what you are capable of, that way if your enemies ever find out then they will always be unprepared. Plus if all of you were so willing to cause me bodily harm when you _didn't_ know I could take it I can't imagine what Raven would have done to me knowing she could practically dismember me and not kill me in the process."

Raven stared down at the floor at this declaration, had she truly been that bad? Thinking back she realized that she wasn't much of a teammate or a friend to the young boy. If she had known of his powers from the start would she have held back even less at the teenager's expense?

"Well all that aside now we are back in business baby! I say to celebrate we order a metric ton of pizza and have a party! Course Doom Patrol is welcome to join, after all who doesn't love pizza?" the mechanical man happily declared as he pulled up the menu from their favorite post mission eatery.

"I believe we will pass. We traveled a long distance to reach your city and I believe a full nights rest would be the best for everyone." Mento declared as the other members of his team nodded in agreement.

"Oh well we have a few guest rooms setup so you are more than welcome to them, they are one floor down from us and are moderately furnished with everything you should need, if not just let us know. We hope you will stay around for at least a few days, if this mercenary group is in fact targeting us than it would be nice to have some extra firepower." Robin explained, trying to be as accommodating at possible.

The man nodded before issuing his team out with a gesture.

"Alright well what about you BB feel up for an eating challenge?"

"Pass, despite being in hibernation I still need to get some sleep to fully recharge. See you for morning training." The changeling replied before heading towards his own room.

"Well that was a bit weird…" Jinx muttered out after the others had left.

"Yeah he's like a different person."

"Don't worry about it Cyborg, he just managed to basically come back from as close to death as I can imagine, he's probably just tired and needs some time to recover."

"Yeah I guess your right Rob, well then more pizza for us!"

 _***TRwP***_

The next morning found the Titans shocked beyond words for the second time.

Beast Boy was in the gym before any of them and was working out, with the other members of The Doom Patrol.

Glancing up Elasti-girl frowned at the way the Titan females seemed to cling to either Robin or Cyborg.

"I'm sorry Gar I see what you mean now. I can't imagine how hard it is living with that."

"You get used to it mom its okay, although I have missed you guys immensely."

"We missed you too you little brat. I thought we said at least one phone call a week." Robotman scolded playfully with the younger boy.

"Aw comeon I tried at least, it's not like you guys are always in cell range or anything. Plus I got yelled at last time I tried to call during a battle, I mean it was just Control Freak, not like we were up against Cinderblock or something."

"You know better than that Beast Boy, back to training now."

"Yes sir!"

The boy immediately snapped back into his exercises, earning a sigh from his two male teammates and a scowl from his 'mother'.

The Titans said nothing of the interaction, but were concerned nonetheless.

"Well since we have a new pair of eyes here I think it would be a good time to do some light sparring, maybe they can catch something that we normally wouldn't." Robin commanded as the Titan's paired off against their normal opponents, with Jinx facing off against Raven and Starfire against Cyborg instead.

Strangely enough Beast Boy didn't even move from his position at the weight bench, but instead glanced over at Mento in question.

"Uh Beast Boy let's go we don't have all morning, I am sure that your former teammates would be interested to see you in action against me."

"Actually that won't be necessary. We don't spar in the Doom Patrol." Mento replied, earning bewildered expressions from the Titans.

"Why would that be? We were always told that sparring helps you understand your teammate's strengths and weaknesses." The empathy replied, glancing shyly over towards her leader, an act that did not go unnoticed by the telepath.

"Because it is not an accurate representation of someone's abilities, just because your leader can beat Beast Boy in a martial arts fight where neither is trying to inflict serious harm does not show what the capabilities of either are. The fact of the matter is that if it was an all out fight Robin would be dead."

"No offense man but Beast Boy is far from the best close combat fighter, and if Robin had his utility belt then…"

"Beast Boy would shift into a fly, shift back behind the boy and snap his neck. We don't train our members to spar and hold back during fights, which is why your 'leader' wins every match that he keeps making against Beast Boy. Our former teammate is not trained to do light sparring it builds bad habits that can get you killed in a fight."

"Showing restraint is a bad habit?" The grey skinned Titan replied in an accusatory tone.

"When your enemies are terrorists or mass murderers then yes it is. You have the advantage of fighting villains who are more interested in money or notoriety rather than simply killing and causing destruction. The Doom Patrol has no such luxuries."

 _***TRwP***_

The next few days passed much the same way, with Beast Boy spending more and more time with his former team and less with the actual Titans, until it got to the point where Cyborg called an emergency meeting with the Titans, minus his green friend.

"Alright now that everyone is here we have a serious issue that needs to be addressed. The problem is with how BB is acting."

"Look I know you are worried about him Cyborg but don't you think this is going a bit overboard? I mean Beast Boy has never been so focused or serious about his training before. If anything I think it is an improvement." Robin refuted, his inner leader kicking in.

Raven just stared at the Boy Wonder in shock, could he really not see what was wrong with their friend? Did he think of them as nothing more than weapons and tools instead of family?

"I'm serious Rob it's like he's a completely different person. We don't know much about The Doom Patrol or how his powers work, maybe when he regenerated it caused brain damage or something, or maybe it's that Mento guy. I thought Raven confirmed he was a telepath the other day so maybe he's messing with our boy?"

"I believe Cyborg is correct Robin, Beast Boy is acting quite strangely. He has denied the contests of shoving food into one's mouth several times and has not been joyful since he his reawakening."

"Starfire I know you are concerned but maybe his near death experience has just shown him that he needs to improve."

"I don't think it's that Robin," Jinx spoke up, an analytical expression on her face. "He acts different around his former team than he does around us. It's almost like he's reverting back into one of them."

"He never stopped being one of us."

The voice of Mento echoed through the room as he walked in, his face taking on a neutral appearance.

"What do you mean exactly?" Robin's eyes narrowed in suspicion, although he wasn't worried about Beast Boy's changes he was secretly concerned by the fact that Beast Boy followed the older man's orders far more readily than his own.

"What exactly do you think Beast Boy's role is on either of our teams?"

"He's the heavy hitting melee expert obviously." Robin replied without hesitation, further worrying Raven, though she didn't show it.

"I think he means something different Bird Boy, he's the fun loving goofball, always there to lighten the situation." Cyborg corrected, earning a shaking of the oldest man's head.

"Both of you are incorrect, he is the joker."

"He is nothing like that monster." Robin seethed out.

"Not like the villain, I thought you were trained more in observation and detective work than this." Mento mused a bit annoyed with how quickly the opposing leader could fall into obsessions.

"Well he's got a good sense of humor but I don't know about being the funniest member, I still say that I got the little string bean beat." The cybernetic teen challenged, puffing out his chest like what he was saying was an accomplishment.

Mento let out a sigh before rubbing his temples, feeling a headache starting to form. How the hell did Beast Boy put up with these people?

"I mean as in the card. In a deck what does the joker do?"

Raven's eyes narrowed, trying to figure out what the man was getting at, before it hit her as the man continued his explanation.

"He is the _wildcard._ Beast Boy fulfills whatever role he needs to in order to complete the team at the time, which is why he acts so differently among the various teams. I asked for a soldier and so that is what Beast Boy responds with when I am here. Elasti-girl has always wanted to be a mother and so he plays the part of the young son when she is the dominant person. Robotman and Negative Man need someone to relieve the stress of what we do and so he is the eager young nephew who has fun and jokes around."

"When it comes to your team it is much the same way, Robin feels the need to always be in charge and prove his worth as the 'alpha male' and so Beast Boy takes on the part of the younger student who always falls short and looks to him for guidance. Cyborg, you went to being a superhero much later in life and so lost out on having a family, so he takes on the younger brother to remind you of what you once had with friends and family. Starfire is much the same way along with Jinx who never really had truly reliable friends or family. Finally Raven, you have always felt like an outcast, which is why he pesters you to join into your team activities. Not only that but he acts the part of the goofball and freak to take the other's attention off of you, allowing you to feel closer to your teammates and less of a pariah than you normally would."

"If that's true then why was he acting differently around me just before the mission?" Raven inquired, suddenly seeing the boy in a new light.

"I heard that you had an argument and that you told him to act more like a hero, so he reverted back to what he perceived as what you wanted, a person more like myself or Robin who put emotions behind their work."

"If all you just said is true then what is his true personality?" Jinx asked, now more confused than ever.

"I have no idea anymore. As you probably noticed Beast Boy is extremely resilient to mental techniques. He was trained that way just like the others were in order to prevent interrogation or information being taken from him when he works with us. In all honesty I haven't been able to fully read his mind in many years, which is the same for your empath I would imagine."

The other glanced over towards the girl in question, who just nodded in confirmation.

"For all I know Beast Boy's personality could be one of those he assumes, or something completely different. Worst case scenario though is that his true personality _is_ the adaptation. That due to his evolutionary powers his mind is in a constant state of evolution as well, changing to meet whatever needs his body and senses perceive at the time."

Again the Titans began to worry for their friend, or what they thought he still was.

 _***TRwP***_

"Well at least this little problem seems to have cleared up…" Raven muttered as she floated through Nevermore and noticed that her emoticlones seemed functional again, showing the signs of recovery from her depression.

As she landed the real empath glanced about at the others assembled in a large clearing before taking a seat at the head of the apparent meeting area.

"So how are you all feeling?"

"We have begun the road to recovery, as have you. Despite this there are still… doubts and worries that plague you and therefore us in return." Knowledge spoke up, her voice still slightly depressed but noticeably more sane.

"I am aware, that is one of the reasons I came here. Robin has been showing some… disturbing signs lately."

"Psh… lately? Try always, that guy is a few words short of a full incantation." Brave muttered out, earning an annoyed glance from the original.

"True, despite our more physical relationship with Robin he has always acted fairly distant in concerns to emotional issues, perhaps that is because of his upbringing? Either way it is yet another reason that he would not make a good match for us."

"What do you 'make a good match'? There is nothing wrong with Robin." Raven claimed stubbornly.

"He is too emotionally distant. He is far more interested in Starfire than he is us. He only participates in our nightly activities because it helps him maintain his 'alpha male' image. He belittles Beast Boy just to look superior in front of the others. Need I go on?" Happy chirped out, as she counted the list with her fingers.

"She is right Raven. Though the intimacy has been appreciated it is a far cry from true love, more like a crush that has turned into a 'teammates with benefits' kind of deal. Though I am not sure on the outcome I would say give Beast Boy a chance instead, not only is he far more mysterious and apparently darker than Robin is, which gives him that sexy edge, he knows when to comfort and apparently knows what we need emotionally more than we did ourselves." Affection finished up, putting an inquisitive expression on her keeper's face.

"Beast Boy? Please, he is hardly dark or mysterious, though I will admit he is a bit confusing lately. Robin is far more attractive, strong, and intelligent. He is the one we should be focusing on and who needs our atten…"

"WHO THE FUCK GIVES A RATS ASS ABOUT THAT PIECE OF SHIT!?" Rage suddenly shouted, gaining the attention of the others.

"I think what the dramatic one over here is trying to say is that we are more concerned about Beast Boy then about Robin right now. The Boy Wonder seems to be the same as always, a bit of a jackass. Meanwhile our green friend is having severe mood swings and now we learn that he could have some form of multiple personality syndrome or something like that." The green cloaked clone clarified.

"Most likely not multiple personalities but rather some new form of mental illness that we have not been able to clarify yet." Knowledge corrected.

"B-Beast Boy is sick? No… not again…. what if it was our fault? What if all the injuries we inflicted on him over the years lead to this? What if all the times we have picked on him or ignored him finally broke whatever was left of him and…"

"Timid, Beast Boy is stronger than that, besides you heard what they said, Beast Boy has been like this since The Doom Patrol and can heal virtually any injuries he receives. If anything this just relieves any need to apologize for…" The real Raven began before being interrupted by the lavender cloaked image.

"You should just get over Melchior because you have no real emotions anyway."

The silence that followed was deafening.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me… witch."

"HOW DARE YOU!?" The original charged into the embodiment of her affection before slamming her into a decaying tree and holding the girl by the throat.

"Don't you EVER say his name!"

"What's the m-matter R-Raven," the girl gasped out as she struggled with her superior's chokehold. "I th-thought you c-could heal from any i-injuries, especially with your l-lack of emotions…"

The original's eyes shot open, immediately realizing what her doppelganger was trying to show her, and gently released the girl before helping her back to the gathering area, where the others looked poised to restrain her if need be.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I was just confirming what Beast Boy said earlier, why he never trusted us completely. If he had told me from the start about his powers I would have been even harder on him as an outlet. I am a monster…"

"No you're human. As much as we focus on our demonic side and all that it entails we often forget that we are just as human. These feelings and weaknesses are from that side just as the uncontrollable power comes from the other half. Ironic that it is Beast Boy who always tried to focus on the human parts though."

Raven nodded at the knowledge part of her personality before sitting down as well.

"Okay so, how awful have I been to him? I want you to show me everything."

"Raven… reconsider what you are asking, you might not like where this path takes you."

The girl in question turned toward the grey cloaked version of herself, who had a strange sorrow in her eyes. It wasn't the kind she was used to, the kind that showed depression and sadness. Instead it spoke of regret beyond volume.

"I need to know, I need you to show me so that I can understand what I have done and change what I will do next. How can I call him a teammate much less a friend if I won't even do that?"

Knowledge nodded before pulling out a large book from behind her back. It had a dark green cover and had vines and various animals carved into it as a design.

 _***TRwP***_

"Wh-what do you mean you're leaving BB?" The cybernetic teen tried to hide the distress and sadness in his voice, but was failing terribly.

"I told you Cyborg, The Doom Patrol needs my help on a mission right now we both know that this was one of the reasons they came. Since everything has stabilized around here and those mercenaries have been confirmed at leaving the country it is a good time to go. Plus Jinx is here so you won't be understaffed or lonely."

"But BB you just recovered man…. Why can't you stick around and catch up? We haven't had any guy time and…"

"I know Cyborg, and we will catch up when I get back, I promise. But right now this mission is too important to disregard."

"What exactly are you going to be doing Beast Boy?" Robin inquired, not liking the fact that he seemed to be shut out of the younger boy's life.

"You know I can't discuss that Robin, just like we don't tell them everything that we do. It's not just privacy though it's secrecy. It is better if you not know."

"Oh my friend, please return to us safely and soundly I do not know if I can take another aching of the heart for your injuries."

"I'll be careful Starfire, I want you to look after Robin and Cyborg while I'm gone though. You and Jinx are going to have to be the excitement in the tower for a while."

"Don't worry Beast Boy we will take care of everything while you're gone. Maybe we can even purchase some hazmat suits and purge that room of yours." The pink haired girl mocked with a smile.

"No need to get extreme here Jinx…"

"Should we wait for Rae to come down? She has been locked up in her room for an entire day now…"

"Just leave her be for now Cyborg, She is probably just working on some emotional stuff right now. Besides I don't want to disturb her for something this trivial."

"I don't consider my best friend leaving us again 'trivial'. Do you at least know when you will be back?"

"I can't say for certain, my guess is no more than a few weeks though."

"Be careful Beast Boy, and come back as soon as you are able."

"Will do Robin, take care of yourselves."

With that the changeling walked onto The Doom Patrol's transport, which took off a moment later, destined for unknown parts.

 _***TRwP***_

"What do you mean he's gone?"

"I mean he left Raven, we tried knocking on your door, yelling and everything else we could think of and you never answered. Beast Boy said to just let you rest or continue whatever you were doing."

"He didn't care about saying goodbye?"

Robin rubbed his temples as he was forced into this conversation with his teammate. As intelligent as Raven could be she was also obsessive when it came to certain details.

"He didn't think you would care one way or the other, neither was I to be honest. Yes he is going to be gone for a bit but if anything I would have thought that you would enjoy having some peace and quiet around the tower. Besides Jinx is staying in his place so it gives the girls slightly higher numbers than boys for once."

With that the Boy Wonder turned and walked down the hallway, intent on going over some crime files before they had dinner.

Raven just went back inside her room and sat back onto her bed, staring at the wall without focusing on anything in particular.

"How am I going to tell him now?"

***A/N***

Sorry to all my readers who were hoping for a magical or supernatural return on Beast Boy's part, but this isn't going to be one of those fics. I fully intend to make any and all of Beast Boy's powers based on traits from real animals, those mentioned are real creatures with real traits.

Sorry to say we are in for another chapter without our favorite green hero, but rest assured that he will be receiving far more 'screen time' later on in the story to compensate, also his powers will be changing during his break.

Next chapter is going to include some more drama and the culmination of the little "after dark" activities that have been going on in the tower, needless to say there are going to be some upset opinions all around.

Till then I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.


	8. Regrets

**The Roles we play**

Regrets

This story has been remarkably popular and I have all you to thank for it!

***Sadly I don't own anything related to the Teen Titans, which in certain cases may be for the best. ***

 _"It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret."_ –Jackie Joyner-Kersee

 _***TRwP***_

For the first week or so Raven enjoyed the peace and quiet that came with a Titan minus one Beast Boy, she hadn't had any time to enjoy it before with her depression and all. In fact as strange as it seemed all of the Titans were enjoying a bit of the peace and quiet, knowing that their friend as still alive and well.

Eating out became far easier as there needn't be any considerations regarding vegetarian options, in fact they had even tried hibachi* one night, which Starfire giggled with excitement over the entire time.

Movie nights became a regular occurrence without any major conflicts popping up, which would usually occur due to an argument over comedy versus any other genre.

Even Robin's scheduled training each morning had begun showing improved results.

All in all it almost felt like Beast Boy's absence was making everything easier around the tower, for the first week or two.

Then things started spiraling downwards.

No one had ever realized how much tension the young boy could relieve until one of Cyborg and Robin's arguments escalated into a full out shouting match, which forced the girls to physically separate them, leading to a tense atmosphere for almost two days.

Without the green changeling Raven had been allowed as much quiet meditation as she wanted, unfortunately it was also the boy who forced her to come to social events, such as eating out and game nights. Without him nagging and insisting, and the other's respect of her privacy, Raven was left alone for entire days save for training and meals.

Beast Boy had always been the one to insist on going out to eat almost several times a week, and without him the Titans began staying home more often, which lead to more confrontations among the team.

Cyborg's happiness and excitement dropped like a rock. He had always been aware of how much time he had spent with his best friend and younger brother figure but he thought that with Jinx around he would be fine for a while, he had been wrong.

He and his girlfriend began arguing more and more for no real reason, often leading to one or the other storming out of the room in frustration, and without any healthy outlets the problems simply built up. Until one day everything came to the forefront.

 _***TRwP***_

It was just a typical Monday morning, which even superheroes will agree is the worst day of the week, when the Titans began culminating in the kitchen for their usual morning breakfast.

"Don't forget training this morning, we will be doing spars like usual."

"How could we forget oh fearless leader?"

"Excuse me Cyborg?"

"Maybe we should switch up the teams a bit?" Starfire chimed in, hoping to change topics enough that a fight wouldn't break out.

"I think it would be beneficial, after all we don't get any better doing the same exercise each time or facing the same person." Raven agreed quickly, seeing the young alien's plan.

"Yeah that would be nice. After all I'm not a huge fan of having my girlfriend covered in bruises just because Robin is too afraid to fight me."

"Afraid, of what? I can take you any time Cyborg, this way is just to avoid you being humiliated."

"That confident are you huh bird boy? How about we go a couple of rounds, no fancy gadgets no toys just one on one. Unless of course your scared to be finally shown up. "

"Oh I'm more than ready for you tin man, just don't come crying to me when I kick your metal ass all over the gym."

"Guys, come on this is supposed to be light sparring remember? We aren't trying to kill each other here." Jinx intervened desperate for anything to relieve the mounting tension.

"She is right, it does not matter whose butt Robin is kicking, we are all friends here." Unfortunately Starfire had inadvertently brought forth a different argument that had been brewing as well.

"What do you mean 'whose butt Robin is kicking'? Cyborg could beat him three ways with one arm." Jinx defended, her eyes narrowing at the orange skinned girl.

"Need your girlfriend to finish your fights eh Cyborg?"

"No chance in hell do I need help Robin, and furthermore I am getting a bit sick of you picking on her rather than anyone else, just because she has the worst hand to hand comba…."

"What the hell do you mean by that Vic?"

"You know what I mean, you are a ranged support fighter Jinx, there's nothing to be ashamed of in that you just can't handle the upfront fighting like…"

"Like the men can? Need I remind you that this isn't the fifties anymore, women are just as capable as men."

"Nice going Cyborg, look Raven we know that women are strong heck, Starfire is more than strong enough physically but emotionally you can…"

"Emotionally what Robin? Do not forget that I come from a warrior culture, we do not need to be treated with the gloves of kids like your women from Earth need to be."

"Oh screw you too, I sure as hell don't need any kind of sympathy. If you remember right the HIVE kicked your asses the first time we fought, and I was the unofficial leader of that team."

"Yeah and then we beat you every other time after that, face it you guys only caught us off guard the first time, after that it was like shooting fish in a barrel." Cyborg replied, crossing his arms as if to look as confident as possible.

"Just because we were never one of your psychotic villains doesn't mean we were beneath you Vic."

"That's not how I remember it a few days ago…"

The pink haired sorceress gaped for a second, before her eyes shone with energy and rage. Too late did the mechanical teen realize what he had said, and began slowly backing up from his angered girlfriend.

"Trouble in the bedroom eh Cyborg? That's why I always keep them both satisfied in more ways than one…"

This time it was Robin's turn to snap his mouth shut, not intending to let out his secret relationship with _both_ girls.

Cyborg slowly turned toward his leader, his face confused for a second, until he noticed the faint blushes on both of the girls.

"I'm going to give you a three second head start before I rip your head from your scrawny shoulders." The mechanical man called out, in a deathly calm and serious voice, his eyes blazing with fury towards the boy who was apparently having two relationships at once, and with girls he considered his younger sisters.

"Cyborg wait, Robin isn't cheating on us we are both… active participants…." Raven stated, trying to calm the bloodthirst in her teammate's eyes.

"YOU'RE WHAT!?"

"Duh Vic, you didn't know? Wow I didn't think anyone was that dense…" Jinx muttered.

"Do not insult our teammate that way, just because you are doing the dance of horizontals with him does not mean that you are allowed to say such things."

"I can talk to my boyfriend anyway I want, at least I can satisfy him by myself without needing another girl." The pinkette smirked seeing the rage in the Tamaranean's eyes.

"I do not need Raven's help! She is just lonely and we are helping her with this."

"Robin asked me to get involved Starfire not the other way around, I do not need your charity, and if you forget he seems to enjoy spending just as much time with me as with you, maybe even more."

"Raven I do not think you understand what you are saying, perhaps this little experiment has gone on long enough. It is time for you to find a different boy that you can use for pleasure, perhaps even one that will be in a relationship with you."

Raven's eyes crackled with energy and rage at what the orange skinned girl was implying, as her counterpart's eyes glowed with an ominous green fury.

"ENOUGH!"

Suddenly, just as quickly as it started, the fighting stopped. The Titans turned toward the pink haired sorceress, who had apparently become the voice of reason amidst the turmoil.

"What the hell is wrong with us? Vic and I are on the verge of breaking up, he and Robin are moments away from killing each other, and you two look ready to bring the tower down without a second thought."

The various teenagers stared down at the floor, fully realizing what had almost come to pass as they started taking deep breaths to try and calm down.

 _***TRwP***_

A few moments later Robin took a deep breath and turned toward his empathic teammate, "Raven could you please do a sweep of the tower and us to see if there is any magic or hypnosis that might be affecting our emotions?"

"Why would!…" Cyborg began with a harsh tone, but followed his leader's example and took a calming breath before continuing. "Do you really think someone might be influencing us like that?"

"Doubtful but we have had situations similar to this before. Enough villains would like to see us split up that this might be the easiest way they can see of doing it, since brute force has failed. Besides between Slade and Brother Blood there are certainly enough people who would go to such extents."

The cybernetic teen nodded, before giving the situation some thought and moving to a nearby control panel.

"I'll start running a sweep of the tower for anything out of the ordinary, I have heard of using ambient sound to influence emotions so it can't hurt to check."

Robin nodded before turning to the other two girls.

"Jinx, you probably have as much skill in infiltration as I do, could you and Starfire do a perimeter sweep of the Tower and island to see if anything is out of place, maybe where someone could have gained access without us knowing it?"

"Will do Robin, and sorry everyone for how I acted…"

"It's okay Jinx we are all a bit on edge, if this doesn't turn up anything we will reconvene here in three hours. I am going to go through the crime files and see if anything has been stolen that could relate to this, or if there have been any breakouts from the prisons lately."

With that said the Titan's dispersed, hoping to find an external cause for their turmoil.

 _***TRwP***_

Hours later the young heroes found themselves sitting back in the same room, with nothing to show for their efforts.

"Well I guess that rules out any external causes…" Cyborg muttered, unwilling to look up and meet anyone's gaze, unaware that the other Titans were doing the same.

"If it's not a villain then what is going on with us?" Robin inquired, loud enough that anyone who wanted to hear would be able to do so.

"Actually I think it's pretty obvious, Beast Boy isn't here."

The various individuals looked up towards Raven as she continued her thought.

"That's the only thing that is different than every other time isn't it? Beast Boy isn't here to liven things up, or in my case, take the frustration and anger onto himself."

"The little guy was like a sponge for us wasn't he? He soaked up all the anger, frustrations, and negativity into himself. He made himself the target, exactly what the team needed just like Mento said."

"We certainly did not do the giving back of thanks. With everything that he did for us we still know very little about him." The Tamaranean princess spoke out in agreement.

"I just realized that we never celebrated one of Beast Boy's birthdays. I mean he went through a lot of trouble just to find out ours and make sure we each had a celebration, but none of us seemed to even make an effort when it came to him." Robin sullenly interjected, before sitting down on the couch, his posture one of defeat and regret.

"You know I hate to put any more on him, but I think he wanted it that way. I mean think about it, he could have easily updated his file with basic information, could have put in his emergency records about his regeneration or left instructions on what to do, but he didn't. I am starting to feel as though letting him go back with The Doom Patrol wasn't the best idea, if they are what created that inherent mistrust and secrecy in him to begin with then what is to stop them from doing it again? With everything that has been going on what reason does he really have not to just stay with them?" The pink haired sorceress reminded the other Titans.

"Hey wait a second, when did you three… start…. Well you know…."

"Really Vic, is it that hard to say? When did the three of you start having knocking knees, doing the deed, dancing the horizontal Tango, etc."

"Oh you mean the coursing of inter?"

"Uh Star?"

"She means sex Robin, and I at least joined in a few months ago."

Cyborg had an inquisitive look on his face, like he was trying to figure out a puzzle, before his eye widened in shock.

"Shit! No wonder the poor kid was always exhausted and wanted to get out of the Tower."

"Wait who?"

"Really Robin… you're the detective of the group and you never figured this out?" Jinx replied sarcastically before turning back to her boyfriend.

"Beast Boy… his sense of smell and hearing are dozens if not hundreds of times sharper than ours. Heck he was the one who knew about Jinx and my… nightly activities before I even mentioned anything."

"Wait he knew that we were screwing?"

"Yes Jinx he did, I thought I told you that."

"Uh no, jeesh if that were the case I would have been a lot nicer to him when he took…"

"All of my nightly patrols, yeah exactly. It wasn't just for us though since you weren't always around. It was the only time he could get away from it."

"Cyborg what are you getting at?"

"Jeesh bird boy how are you not seeing this? Beast Boy could hear and smell your… bonding. The tower isn't designed to be sound proof you know. Poor guy was basically living in a porno at night and we never figured out that it was the reason he was never able to get enough sleep."

"Oh I feel so bad for Beast Boy! If I had known that he was doing the suffering then I would have asked him to participate with us and have him get the good night's rest as well."

Robin immediately started coughing before noticing a slow grin appearing on Cyborg's face.

"Don't even go there Cyborg."

"Hey I didn't say anything, but it's like you always say Robin, 'anything for the good of the team'."

"I don't say that!"

"Actually Robin I think I have heard you use that phrase before." Jinx said, agreeing with her boyfriend.

"Then why didn't you two let him into your…. affairs?"

"Because you already have two girls, and no matter what they say I will never believe that you can keep them both occupied."

"Oh yeah Cyborg is that a challenge?"

"What if it is… what the hell are we doing?"

"It sounds like you two are challenging each other to a sexual competition." Raven replied, a slight smirk forming on her face

"Oh most wonderful! I shall prepare the large mud pit and the clothing of the skanks for your battle!"

The two boys paled while Jinx burst out in laughter.

 _***TRwP***_

"I'm just saying that maybe having some 'bonding' time with Robin and Beast Boy wouldn't be such a bad idea…"

"For the last time Happy, I am not having a threesome with them!"

"Why not? You've had a threesome with Robin and Starfire before…"

"That's not the point!"

"Actually Raven Happy makes a good point, the only difference in the change in scenario would be that we would be the focal point, based on the heterosexuality that they both display, rather than it being on Robin."

"Not you too Knowledge" Raven groaned out.

"I bet we could give the two of them a run for their money. We already know Robin isn't the most enduring of lovers, at least compared to what you looked up on the internet that one time…."

"BRAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO SPEAK OF THAT!"

"It was all over her hair!" Timid wailed in despair.

"Regardless we have no way of knowing how well Beast Boy would perform."

"I told you we are not having this conversation! I am not sleeping with Beast Boy!"

"Actually we already do know how he would be in bed." Affection replied, having stayed remarkably silent so far. Her statement immediately drew the attention of the others though.

"Oh and how would we know that?" Raven sarcastically replied, albeit a few rather pleasant images found their way into her mind despite her trying to deny them.

"It's like his former commander said, he adapts to whatever best fits the situation. Basically Beast Boy would be the best lover possible."

"We also know that he knows these things almost instantly, before even we do. Imagine it Raven… A long day of fighting crime, we are miserable, frustrated, and angry. We walk into our room, intending on taking a warm shower, but he reaches us first. Without saying anything he grabs us and pushes us against the wall, tearing off our pants. There is no foreplay, no lovey dovey crap. He just takes us in one fell swoop, hard and fast like we need it. He squeezes our thighs, reminding us he's there before tearing into our shirt with his fangs quickly finding…."

Before rage could continue her fantasy Timid passed out, blood leaking from her nose at the imagery she had portrayed. The other emoticlones were either blushing like crazy, or drooling slightly.

The real Raven was doing a bit of both.

 _***TRwP***_

"We need to discuss what I read in the book." Raven spoke with finality after her various emoticlones had reawakened from their lust induced states.

Knowledge merely nodded in agreement before opening up the book once more, each page showing a different example of Beast Boy and her interacting.

"After going through all of this information I have realized that I have been… exceptionally cruel towards Beast Boy, to the point of earning the title 'demon' in some circumstances," Raven continued on.

"I would like to know something though Rae-Rae, what were you going to say to Beast Boy if he hadn't left?" Happiness questioned.

"Well I was going to apologize obviously, and try to make amends for everything that I had done."

"How exactly do you apologize for years of physical and emotional abuse?" Brave added in with a huff.

"We could always offer him our body… I know I certainly wouldn't mind." Affection responded in a husky tone.

"We are not…. I don't know how we are going to apologize exactly, besides begging him for forgiveness. The problem we are faced with now is that if Cyborg is right…. He might not be coming back."

"IT'S ALL OUR FAULT! IF WE WEREN'T SO MEAN TO HIM THEN HE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT! THEN WE COULD HAVE APOLOGIZED!" Timid wailed.

"Although there were certainly times in which Beast Boy did deserve some of the retaliation we took. I have no doubt that most of it was misplaced. Robin and Cyborg have just as many issues with us early on and yet I have not one file with us damaging Robin in any way, and only a handful with Cyborg as the victim." The yellow cloaked clone confirmed.

Raven glanced over towards her aggressive self for any input. The girl merely shrugged in response. "I got nothin, you were a total bitch."

Raven sighed, though her rage was part of her it didn't mean she was any easier to deal with.

"So we are back to square one, we need to apologize but can't talk to him, and even if we could we have no idea what to say in order to even begin to make up for all the crap we put him through. Some friend we are."

"You are, for all the times you acted like we were separate entities I will agree with you this time. Don't put us in the same position that you are."

"Thanks a lot…. traitor."

Happiness merely giggled in response.

"Regardless, perhaps the best way to apologize would be to do something nice for Beast Boy for when he returns home, if he even does." Knowledge tried whispering the last part out, but Timid heard it regardless and burst into sobs once more.

"That's a good idea, okay so what do we know that Beast Boy likes?"

"Ohhhhh pick me pick me!" the pink image of the empath began jumping up and down, waving her hands in excitement.

Sighing once more the real persona pointed at her jubilant self. "Yes Happy?"

"He likes video games, and jokes, and pranks, and tofu, and…."

"Does he? I mean does he really like any of those things? What do we know about the _actual_ Beast Boy? Hell you heard his old team, they know way more about him than we seem to and even their freaking telepath isn't sure what his real personality is anymore." Oddly enough it was Rage who made this well thought out argument.

"Well then maybe that is the key? Maybe instead of assuming that we can guess what he enjoys we should apologize by trying to learn more about him, by expressing interest? Sure Cyborg probably has before and I bet Robin at least asked about group stuff since he's about as exciting as dry paint but has anyone ever just taken the time to sit down and talk to him about these things?" Knowledge mused to herself, before writing down her ideas in a notebook that she carried.

"A good idea, especially since any other information on him seems to be nonexistent." Raven agreed.

"Before any of that though, we need to decide what we want from Beast Boy. Is it being trusted as a teammate again? Do we want his friendship, like what he has with Starfire? Or are we interested in looking for something more than just friendship and a brother sister relationship? Are we looking for something more… intimate?"

"I can't picture Beast Boy and I having… _that_ kind of relationship, even if Rage paints a nice fantasy…"

"I believe you are wanted 'outside' Raven." Knowledge interrupted, turning towards her true self with a nod.

The real Titan merely nodded in return, before leaving her meditation realm for the Tower once more.

 _***TRwP***_

"Hello Starfire, what can I help you with?"

"Raven I believe we should do… the talking about some things."

"Of course, please come in."

As Raven sat down on her bed Starfire stood nervously for a moment before taking an offered chair across from her teammate.

"Raven it is difficult for me to say this but I have been doing some of the thinking, and I believe that we should no longer have the inside courses together with Robin."

"You mean intercourse Starfire?"

"Yes, I did not realize until lately that these activities were so frowned upon even by our friends."

"Sex isn't frowned upon Starfire, but I will admit that Cyborg did seem a bit upset when he found out what was going on, add in that it was undoubtedly one of the reasons for Beast Boy's current… prolonged absence and maybe you are right."

"I am glad that we can agree Raven, until we can be sure that no one's feelings will be injured perhaps neither of us should participate in the sexual times with Robin."

"I think that's a good idea Starfire that way there is no jealousy and no one feels left out, besides I think Robin needs some time to clear his head as well before the three of us can move on with just a two person relationship."

Somewhere in the tower Robin had the strangest feeling that he was losing something fantastic, but couldn't figure out what it was, he gave a shrug before going back to work on cold case files.

"I do have one question for you though Starfire, do you regret inviting me to join you two?"

"No Raven of course not! You are closer than a sister to me and I was joyful to have you engage in the pleasuring with Robin and I."

"I never wanted to hurt your relationship with Robin Starfire, If I had known that this was going to be the outcome then I would have stayed out of it, you two are meant for each other even if I am jealous of that fact."

"You did not hurt our relationship Raven, if anything you made it stronger but now there seems to be something between us. The events concerning Beast Boy have shown me a side of Robin that has me considering if I do wish to spend my life with him, but I can only wait to see what will become of it."

"If you ever need to talk Starfire, my door is always open."

"Thank you Raven, you know that mine is for you as well. Also if you are ever feeling lonely we can even, how do you say, keep it between us girls?"

With that the giggling alien princess left her teammate behind, a bright red blush covering the empath's face.

 _***TRwP***_

It had been almost a year since Beast Boy left, and the Titans were still suffering through it. Sure the fights and died down and all of the hostile feelings had mostly been laid bare and dealt with but there was still a tense atmosphere that perforated the Tower.

More than once the Titans had attempted to contact their former teammate, only to find themselves at a dead end, there did not seem to be any means of communicating with him or his team.

The teenage heroes still fought crime and participated in the same group bonding exercises as before, but now it felt stale, like the excitement had been taken away from everything.

The trio of lovers had never completely made amends after their 'breakup', and though they still were amicable towards each other they spent most of their free time with different activities.

Robin had pushed himself more into training and crime work than ever before, but had eventually relented when the other Titans noticed he was starting to burn himself out and insisted he take a personal vacation.

Starfire had been in far more contact with her home world, often calling them several times a week just to communicate and relax.

Raven had grown closer to Jinx in the past few months and had found another best friend in the girl, who she found shared many common interests.

Cyborg and Jinx had agreed to spend some time apart, and had broken up on good terms, but left open the possibility of renewing their relationship at a later date.

The mechanical man had recently begun seeing Bumblebee, at the other Titan's insistence, and had found that spending the weekends over at their tower to be beneficial to everyone in the long run with the tension and stress it allowed to dissipate.

Titans East had sent over a different member to help compensate for the loss of one of their own and to increase inter-group tactics.

Jinx had tried a relationship with Kid Flash and Aqualad but both of those had ended after only a few dates.

Despite all of the positive changes that had been made the group of heroes still felt themselves growing further and further apart with each passing day.

 _***TRwP***_

Eleven and a half months after his departure a signal rang through the tower's security system at ten o' clock one evening. Rushing to the monitor Cyborg gave a puzzled stare before his eye widened in shock.

"Cyborg what is it?"

"There's nothing on the scanners…. The only other time this happened was…. BEAST BOY!" The largest Titan shouted before charging through the automatic doors, not wanting to wait for them to open, and sprinting towards the stairs that lead to the roof, followed closely behind by the other Titans.

As they made it to the top, and Cyborg charged through yet another door to Robin's annoyance, they looked on in wonder as a large ship lifted off from the helipad before taking off into the night sky, leaving behind a single tall man cloaked in darkness.

"B-Beast Boy?" the cybernetic teen called out in curiosity, the boy had never been this… tall before.

"Hey Cy, how's it hangin?"

***A/N***

*For those of you who have never had tried hibachi and enjoy Japanese style food it is really fun, they cook the food in front of you and the chefs are incredibly talented. I highly recommend it if you can afford to spend a bit more on dinner.

On a side note, it is surprisingly easy to make an escalating argument, all you need is a few comments that aren't thought about before spoken and it just grows from there.

I know this chapter seemed to rush through the year pretty rapidly but I didn't want Beast Boy undergoing any major changes in only like a month or two, plus I wanted to have the other Titans go through a few changes as well, nothing major though.

 **I am unsure as to what Cyborg's fate will end up being, either with Bumblebee or Jinx. I really do like Cy/Jinx as a couple but I can also see him and Bee working too, so let me know what you guys think!**

As always I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, I had a heck of a lot of fun planning and writing it!


	9. Conflicts

**The Roles we Play**

Conflicts

A special thanks to all those who have taken the time to review my story, but I still love the rest of you too!

***I do not own any part of the Teen Titans, if I did there would have been changes…. ***

 _"Conflict is drama, and how people deal with conflict shows you the kind of people they are."_ – Stephen Moyer

 _***TRwP***_

Raven knew that the man standing in front of her and the other Titans was Beast Boy, after all how many green skinned people had pointy ears and hung out on giant 'T' shaped towers? But despite this she was still somehow unsure of herself. The man standing in front of them was not the short almost scrawny little boy who was the smallest member of their team, the least threatening, the most obnoxious, and the most immature member of the Titans.

No he was something new.

The man stood only an inch or so shorter than Cyborg, who was an impressive six foot four. As he was now the new Beast Boy dwarfed all the other Titans, even Robin. His uniform was no longer mostly purple but was almost entirely black, with purple outlines that seemed to outline his shape, which was impressive to say the least.

No longer was there any doubt on his muscular form, now the form fitting outfit emphasized his physique which seemed more muscle than anything else, without appearing like a body builder.

His formerly short hair was now longer and messier, with some of it almost covering his eyes in thick strands.

He still retained the silver and black gloves but now added a pair of boots along with it.

Finally, but most noticeably, was his posture and the look in his eyes. He still had a sparkle of boyhood joy and happiness but behind that was something… primal and dangerous. The way he walked towards his team made him seem more like a predator in its prime rather than a teenager greeting his friends.

Raven quickly caught herself drooling and subtly wiped her mouth, which allowed Cyborg the honors of being the blunt member of the team.

"Damn BB it looks like puberty hit you like a semi-truck."

The boy just flashed a grin, reminiscent of his old smiles, but with considerably sharped and more deadly looking teeth than before.

"Thanks Cy, it's nice to be home, assuming that my room hasn't been rented out or set on fire yet."

"Of course not Beast Boy, we kept it just the way you left it, though I must say we were expecting you home a bi earlier than this." The Titan leader responded.

"Yeah sorry about that, turns out that the mission got considerably more complicated as time went on, I would have called but… well secrecy and all."

Robin nodded his head in understanding, though he was secretly annoyed that he wasn't more informed about his teammate's life.

"So How has everybody been?"

"Oh Beast Boy we have missed you terribly! It has been most quiet and lonely without you at the tower breaking your jokes and doing the pranks and the wonderment. We have not had a movie night in so long and long has the 'fridge' gone without the tofu."

"So it wasn't really all bad now that I think about it." Cyborg mused after Starfire had mentioned the lack of tofu, earning a chuckle from the green teenager.

"A lot has happened though BB, lots of drama, lots of ass kicking, lots of lonely nights playing video games by myself or whooping bird boy in them." The mechanical team put a bit of extra emotion into the last statement, and wiped a pretend tear from his eye.

"I don't recall losing that often Cyborg…" Robin huffed, in pouting fashion, "And as much as we need to catch up it is getting a bit late and I am sure Beast Boy is tired from his trip from…" The Boy Wonder lead the conversation, trying to get some more information from the teenager.

"Oh you know, here and there. But Robin is right, it has been a fairly long trip and as much as I am looking forward to catching up with everyone I would like to get some sleep in an actual bed tonight if possible."

"Sounds good man, be prepared for an early morning breakfast explosion though!" The largest Titan proclaimed, earning smiles from all the others present, there hadn't been a breakfast party since their teammate had been gone and they had all secretly missed the bonding time.

Nodding Beast Boy followed the others inside, pausing only for a moment to gaze out at the endless dark skies, and the last breeze of pure freedom, before heading in.

 _***TRwP***_

"Alright Cy so you going to clue me in as to what has been going on around here?" The green teenager asked the next morning to the only other man currently in the room.

Cyborg had purposefully set his alarm for early enough to get a good start on breakfast before everyone else woke up, and began trying to tell him how to make pancakes.

"What do you mean exactly BB? You were gone for a long time after all did you really think everything would be exactly the same?"

"Of course not but there are certain truths in this world that allow life to continue functioning, truths such as Starfire making googly eyes at Robin, the fact of Robin being an uptight oblivious alpha-male ass. Raven watching the two of them secretly. Finally you and Jinx hanging all over each other like a bunch of love sick school girls meeting their favorite boy band for the first time."

"Hey now, I am definitely not a school girl."

Beast Boy just shot him a look before the dark skinned male let out a sigh before summarizing the major events of the past year.

After about an hour of explanations Beast Boy just let out a low whistle in amazement.

"Wow that is a lot of stuff I missed, so Robin finally came clean about the whole threesome thing eh?"

"Yeah… Hey BB… I'm really sorry man, I never realized how crappy we were acting towards you until after you were gone and… I don't know how but I am going to make it up to you."

The boy just shook his head, "Don't worry about it Cy, you know I never blamed any of you for that crap. Besides it's not like you have anything to apologize for. I am sorry to hear it didn't work out with Jinx though, is it weird that she is still living in the tower?"

"A bit but we broke up on mutual terms so it hasn't been too bad lately, plus like I said I am kinda seeing Bee right now so…"

"Yeah I was wondering how long it would take you two to at least hook up."

"Wait a sec… How the heck did you…"

"Animal instincts Cy, plus the way you two would constantly undress each other with your eyes every time you met was pretty obvious."

"Well I guess that explains why Jinx never really liked her… What about you man? You have any exciting flings to share?"

Beast Boy's mind wandered back to the few months he had spent with her...

"Ha not really, I don't kiss and tell sorry Cy."

"Spoilsport, I gotta ask though, not that I want to make this uncomfortable or anything but. How did you manage to put up with… everything that was going on for so long?"

"Oh you mean all the sex everyone was having?" Though Cyborg cringed he gave a hesitant nod, hoping not to offend his best friend or bring up any unpleasant memories.

Beast Boy just laughed, "A lot of cold showers and cold nights on patrol."

Cyborg looked dumbfounded for a moment before laughing along with his buddy, happy to just bask in the glow that he had missed out on for so long.

 _***TRwP***_

"So what do we do now?" Raven inquired to her various emoticlones, who were currently seated at a large stone table in Nevermore.

"I vote we beg for forgiveness."

"Shocking timid, anyone else have a better idea on how to handle Beast Boy's return?"

"Throw him up against the wall, tear off his pants, and see what kind of 'beast' he has hidden down there."

The others stopped their musings to stare at Brave while she just shrugged, "What? It's not like we weren't all thinking about something along those lines anyways…"

"I am not going to rape Beast Boy…"

"Well duh Raven, you can't rape the willing…"

"What I think Rage is trying to say is… perhaps our newly reacquired comrade would enjoy some 'stress relief'. We all know that we have been going through a rather rough 'dry spell' of our own lately."

The real empath just rubbed her temples, trying to alleviate the already growing headache from conversing with her emotions.

"Thank you for that suggestion Knowledge but I already made it clear that we are not seducing Beast Boy, no matter how he has physically changed I am still not attracted to him like that. He is still the same hyperactive, annoying boy underneath it all."

"Really? I don't recall ever getting such a delicious shiver to run down our spine from looking into his eyes before…" Rage muttered out, fantasizing about the feeling that they had all felt upon his arrival.

"What if we ask him out on a date? We could go bowling, or roller skating, or swimming, oooo I think the carnival is in town right now too! Maybe he can win us another giant chicken!" the pink cloaked emotion happily proclaimed.

"I do not need nor want another giant chicken…"

"Raven is right. It was hard enough finding a good hiding place for the last one that Beast Boy gave us."

Again the empath glared at the embodiment of her knowledge before turning with a sigh to the last of her gathered clones.

"I believe a normal conversation and an apology would be the best way to start off. Since you are so worried about messing up your relationship this might be the easiest approach to getting back to any form of friendship."

"That was… surprisingly well thought out Affection, I am impressed." The original complimented in shock.

"And if it just so happens to lead into a situation where we get to strip him down and ride him like a prize winning stallion well then, what happens, happens."

Raven let out a sigh and replied with as much sarcasm as possible, "And thank you Affection…"

"You are quite welcome Raven."

The girl just growled in annoyance before returning to her bedroom.

 _***TRwP***_

"Something smells good." Robin proclaimed as he strolled through the main doors of the common area.

"That would be the 'Ultra supreme heavenly amazing breakfast explosion!' Cyborg responded happily, as he held up a banner with a small copyright symbol on it.

"You copyrighted how to make pancakes?" Raven inquired, as she fazed through the floor to find the three male Titans already at the table.

"Heck yeah I did Raven! Who wouldn't want to try and steal my amazing recipe? One of these days I am going to patent this stuff and start my own restaurant. Then I will be rich and famous along with dashingly handsome and amazing."

"I don't know about any of those Vic." Jinx replied as she entered the room with the Tamaranean princess.

"Oh but Cyborg has the most amazing of the breakfast meals, it involves all forms of the pig and chicken along with the cakes of pan and the syrupy goodness that flows from the trees of maple."

"I gotta admit Cy, despite how many animals you have to kill in order to make one meal you sure do have a way with pancakes." The green teen commented, before taking a bite of the mentioned food.

"Heck yeah I do, also I don't know what you are talking about Jinx, I am all those things and more."

"You definitely are more." The pink haired girl lightly teased, earning a childish pout from the cybernetic man.

"So Jinx are you an official Titan now?" Beast Boy inquired.

"Eh I guess so, I mean we never had a ceremony or anything, and I think the boys were too afraid to try any hazing activities but considering I have my own room in the tower and a communicator I would say that I am at least a permanent resident."

"Cool, I always thought you would make a good heroine."

"Aww thanks Beast Boy, or should we call you Beast Man now? You certainly have… filled out since we last saw you." The pale girl chuckled flirtatiously as she looked the boy up and down.

For some reason Raven found herself gritting her teeth during the not so innocent checkup that the other sorceress was giving her teammate.

Beast Boy just laughed in response at the joke that he remembered making a while ago as well.

"She does have a point though BB, you don't really fit the description of 'boy' anymore. You thinking about changing it up a bit?"

"Eh not really, I thought about it for a bit during my break but all the names I came up with sounded ridiculous."

"Does The Doom Patrol give codenames out?" Robin inquired.

"Not really codenames but we do use different titles while we are on missions."

"What was the name of codes that you were given?" Starfire asked with a curious gleam in her eyes.

"One one eight."

The room got very quiet for a sudden while the Titans processed what had just been said in a very blunt tone. Starfire seemed to be the most confused though.

"I do not understand Beast Boy that does not seem to be a very descriptive title for you."

"It's not supposed to be descriptive Starfire, when we are on missions every member of The Doom Patrol use code numbers rather than names."

"I don't get it, why do they do that?" This time it was Jinx who had the confused look, while Beast Boy just let out a quiet chuckle.

"It helps us to disassociate and put the mission before our teammates. By referring to each other without using names it keeps the military mindset in play while taking emotions out of the equation."

The various Titans just stared wide eyed at their friend after his explanation.

"Pass the orange juice please Cy." The green teenager continued on as if everything was normal.

 _***TRwP***_

"So that's how I have to do this, by showing Beast Boy that I care about him and his well being it should help to reestablish our friendship." Raven spoke, while strategizing with her other emotions.

"There are a few things we need to warn you about first Raven." Knowledge interjected, earning a raised eyebrow from the original.

"Oh, and what would those be?"

"Though you are trying to establish an emotional connection with him you need to take it slow and not mention anything too personal or sensitive. This is in the same sense as building a trusting relationship with someone for the first time, which in a sense you are. You can't just walk up to him and act like you are the best of friends and begin addressing personal issues or secrets."

"So what topics should I stay away from then?" At this point Raven was a bit agitated, she had already wasted half the day in these discussions and still her emotions were acting as though they knew her teammate better than she did.

"First and foremost don't mention anything about his former team, he seems to immediately lockup whenever Robin tries this and it will instantly put him on guard."

"Yeah and don't say anything about Terra, for obvious reasons." Happy chimed in.

"Stick to calling him 'Beast Boy' instead of shortening his name, it shows that you respect him and his relationship with the other Titans who have earned that right." The green clad emotion added.

"T-try not to ph-physically touch him u-unless it is a h-handshake or he s-starts it." This time it was Timid's advice.

"Above all be patient Raven, we all know this was never our strongest feature despite all the meditation but this is very important. He is not going to just instantly forgive you and this is much like healing a wound, give it time and care but if you rip the wrappings off early it will turn ugly and scar." Affection finished.

"I think I know how to talk to my own friend thank you very much. It will be fine I just need to apologize and Beast Boy will forgive and forget just like he always has." The empathy replied, before fading back to the real world.

What she missed was the very emotions looking towards each other nervously.

 _***TRwP***_

"Alright Titans let's do some training exercises. I am sure everyone is physically up to par but with Beast Boy being gone for so long we might need to change up some tactics depending on how much his powers might have changed." Robin commanded as the team made their way into the gym.

Cyborg let out a slight sigh, undoubtedly knowing what they would be doing next.

"So we are going to start off with some light sparing just to get everyone back up to speed. This time it will just be Beast Boy at first until we can all get a grasp on any major changes. After that we can go through some team simulations."

'Yep even after he was gone for almost a year nothing has changed. Robin is still trying to play alpha male just like BB said.' Cyborg gently shook his head before continuing to the control panel to monitor the situation.

"Let me guess you are going to be the one fighting him bird boy?"

Robin shot his mechanical teammate an annoyed glare before returning to the situation. But oddly enough he didn't immediately answer. Instead he seemed to be remembering something, a conversation that gave him pause and even put a bit of fear and hesitation into his posture.

"Well if the fearless leader won't do it I would be more than happy to do some grappling with him." Jinx said, her eyes again roaming over Beast Boy's form.

'I swear if she lays a hand on my Beast Boy I'll…. Wait _my_ Beast Boy?'

The boy in question just sent the pinkette a sly grin before shrugging.

"I don't think that Jinx would be the best opponent for Beast Boy. She isn't very hand to hand combat oriented, plus the issue we ran into last time when you kept going up against her Robin."

Raven, of course, was referring to when he used to spar with the girl which lead to more fighting with Cyborg.

"Yeah good point, well I guess it should be either Cyborg or myself then, that way no one gets hurt."

"Do you think that Starfire or I wouldn't be able to stand up to him? Don't forget Robin that you have been teaching me martial arts and Starfire is tremendously strong."

"Also I am a warrior, perhaps it would be more fitting for either Raven or myself, after all if the boys are too scared to take on our friend in a friendly spar then the girls will show them how it is done."

"You tell em girl!" Jinx happily cheered on the orange skinned alien as she stepped into the ring with the changeling.

"Uh Star I really don't think this is a good idea, I don't want you getting hurt…"

"Actually I don't really want to spar with anyone to be honest. The Doom Patrol doesn't do sparring and I haven't gotten back into the habit of being able to do so yet."

"Do not concern yourself Beast Boy, I am sure that I will be able to take care of myself in a match against you, unless you believe like Robin does and that I am unable to fight?"

"It's not that Starfire… I just…"

"Then begin the match."

Beast Boy let out a sigh before glancing at the other two males who just shrugged before walking to the observation post with Jinx and Raven.

"Alright then, let's keep this simple and the collateral low, so no shape shifting or starbolts of any kind." Robin commanded before beginning the match.

 _***TRwP***_

Starfire immediately rushed forward, already fueled with anger towards her former boyfriend who, once again, believed she was incapable of fighting.

Beast Boy, on the other hand, began backpedaling and dodging out of the way of her blows, narrowly missing one which cratered the floor with raw power.

"Take it easy Starfire we just got the green bean back. I would rather not have to clean green paste off the floors."

The alien princess ignored the cybernetic man and continued her assault, her eyes turning green with adrenaline and rage.

Finally Beast Boy's luck ran out and he was forced to block one of the super powered blows, throwing him backwards into the wall, which cracked in response.

"BEAST BOY!" Raven shouted out in fright, as she began running over towards her comrade.

The boy in question just grunted before standing up and stretching his muscles a bit.

"Not bad Starfire, let's see if you can take as well as you give though." He proclaimed with a smirk before charging back towards the alien with surprising speed.

The other Titans were shocked, how the hell did Beast Boy manage to take an enraged punch from one of their strongest members, then get back up without so much as a bloody lip?

As he weaved around another assault the green hero grabbed onto her wrist before using her moment to slam her into the ground. Immediately he took a leap back, just to be sure he hadn't accidently hurt the girl.

"Was that the best you can do friend? I am not as fragile as you think."

This time the boy gave a feral grin before charging forward.

Ducking under a haymaker from the alien he kneed her in the stomach, hard enough to knock the wind from her chest, before grabbing her by the face and slamming her onto the ground, creating his own cracks in the paneling from the force.

"Whoa hey guys calm down a…"

But before Cyborg could call an end to the match Starfire replied with a kick to the teenager's stomach, launching him backwards and putting distance between the two combatants.

As she stood up her eyes no longer crackled with green rage, but instead shone with a different emotion.

Excitement.

It had been far too long since the alien princess had been in a fight where she was not concerned about holding back. Far too long since she had felt that familiar adrenaline rushing through her veins. Far too long since she had been given a 'good fight'.

Shouting out what sounded like a war cry the Tamaranean charged to meet her opponent once more, who ran forward to meet her.

Blows were exchanged.

Bodies were thrown to the floor and walls again and again.

The smell of sweat and excitement filled the air.

Finally Robin called an end to the match after a particularly brutal attack had sent the green changeling into a nearby workout machine, destroying it in the process.

It wouldn't matter who won if they leveled the gym from a 'friendly spar'.

The two combatants stood opposite one another, both gasping for breath after their nearly half hour long match.

Beast Boy smirked.

Starfire returned with a surprisingly feral grin.

"Damn you hit hard, I don't think even Cinderblock packs that much of a punch."

"You are quite impressive yourself Beast Boy. I did not know you had such strength or skill. Why have you held back for so long?"

"Because if I didn't Robin would have been in the hospital every other day with broken bones."

The girl giggled in response before nodding in understanding. Despite being the leader and self-proclaimed best martial artist of the group Robin was not up to the physical ability of Cyborg, herself, or Beast Boy apparently.

"Perhaps we can have another spar sometime? I have missed the excitement of such activities."

"Sounds good. Anytime you need to relieve some stress just let me know."

The girl nodded, not noticing the annoyed looks on both Robin and Raven's faces at the unspoken, and hopefully unintentional, innuendo.

"That was a hell of a match you two. From what I could tell Star has you beat in raw physical ability but your skill and reflexes allow you to keep up. What I don't get is how the hell you aren't lying in a broken heap?" The mechanical man asked his best friend.

"One of the changes I went through while with The Doom Patrol was to continue my evolution. The commander made sure that improving my durability was high on the list."

"Very impressive Beast Boy, I assume that your physical strength and speed were also increased?" Robin inquired, and received a nod of confirmation.

"Alright well since now we know where Beast Boy physically stands let's do some team work exercises to incorporate everything back into the fold." The team leader directed, before setting up some various scenarios that he and Cyborg had come up with over the last year.

 _***TRwP***_

"Hey Cy, can I talk to you for a second?" the changeling asked as the cybernetic man went to recharge after the sparring session.

"Sure BB what's up?"

"I assume you noticed how Jinx was…. acting towards me today?"

The darker skinned man's eye twitched for a second as his pulse elevated before he was able to calm himself down and put on a fake grin.

"Yeah a bit, she's a hoot eh?"

"That whole 'fake smile' thing doesn't work on me Cy, I've used it too much myself to be fooled."

The older teen's happy expression dropped before he muttered out an apology, forgetting what his friend had been forced to go through, and that's only what they knew about.

"Look I just got back and I don't want to cause any issues, especially not with you. If you are uncomfortable with it at all just let me know. I am not going to get upset if you don't want your ex-girlfriend hitting on me or vice versa. Your friendship is way more important than that to me."

"I know BB…" The man let out a sigh before taking a moment to think about what he would say next, while his friend waited patiently. "Look I am not going to say that I am thrilled with the idea of her flirting with other people or, if you are interested, you two dating but I will certainly not be upset with either of you for doing so. She is her own person and I am dating someone else right now as well, I can't expect her to just wait around for me while I am off with someone else now can I?"

"No… but saying that and living in the same building as her and someone she might end up dating is something that is avoidable."

"Nah man I mean I have seen and put up with the other guys she has chosen to date and I gotta say I would much rather it be you than anyone else, especially Robin." The last part was muttered out but Beast Boy still heard it clear as day and let out a chuckle.

"Course with the way the other two girls were checking you out today you might be having your own problems with estrogen overdose." The mechanical man laughed out, earning a chuckle from the changeling.

"I know right? I went from the least desirable superhero in the entire Titans to being undressed by three different women's eyes at the same time."

"Aw comeon man you weren't the _least_ attractive, I mean at least you don't use five tons of hair gel or look like Robin's doppelganger like Speedy."

The two were silent for a second before they burst out laughing.

 _***TRwP***_

"Beast Boy, could you hold up for a second?" Raven called out as the object of her desires was walking around a corner, moving towards his room.

"What can I help you with Raven?"

The empathy hid the flinch that his monotone caused her. It was still difficult to come to terms with the change in their relationship, from when he was always happy to see her and make her happy with a friendly smile to being barely a teammate.

"I just wanted to talk to you about a few things now that your back, there was a lot unsaid before you left for your trip."

"It wasn't really a trip we were on a long term assignment. But either way what is it you wanted to talk about?"

"I know that there were some unresolved issues between us and I wanted to address them. First and foremost I would like to apologize to you for what happened in the bank that day."

Beast Boy merely raised an eyebrow, as if not understanding.

Letting out a deep sigh the empathy continued, "when you were shot protecting me…"

"I recall the mission Raven I'm not as forgetful as you might think."

"Of course not, sorry. I just wanted to say I am sorry for not being more observant, you should never have been forced to protect me like that."

"Why not? If I hadn't the bullet would have killed you. Plus I was trained to do this anyway, it's not like I didn't know the risks."

"What do you mean you were 'trained to'? Did The Doom Patrol train you to act as a shield?"

 _***TRwP***_

Inside of her head the various emoticlones let out an aggravated groan.

"She acts like he can't remember things and we _just_ had this conversation a few hours ago?" Brave muttered in disbelief

"I told her not to bring them up…." This time it was Knowledge who shook her head in disappointment. Apparently they needed to make the girl a list next time.

 _***TRwP***_

"I was trained to use my powers to protect my team yes. If you hadn't noticed I can take a lot more punishment than you might give me credit for. After all the times throwing me into walls I am surprised that you never realized this."

"It's not that I don't know you can take it I am just surprised you would do so willingly. To open yourself up for something like this especially after what happened with Terra…."

Beast Boy's eyes narrowed as the gray skinned girl caught herself before continuing the conversation.

 _***TRwP***_

"Seriously is she just trying to piss him off?" Rage asked in disbelief, while Happy was taking her turn to comfort a now sobbing Timid.

 _***TRwP***_

"Do you think that I asked to take the abuse Raven? Do you think I wanted this life? This is just the byproduct of my past. I take the physical abuse because I can and no one else will. Someone has to take the punch and it might as well be the guy who doesn't bruise after it."

Raven moved to put a comforting hand on the teen's shoulder, thinking that he needed a bit of comforting with this rather negative realization, but instead he stepped back, out of her reach. His eyes again narrowed but this time he appeared to have taken a defensive stance, as if expecting an attack.

 _***TRwP***_

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WOMAN!" Brave screamed at the sky, annoyed beyond all belief at everything they had suggested being ignored.

 _***TRwP***_

The green skinned teenager turned to continue his path down the hallway before calling out over his shoulder, "Nice talk we had Raven, but if you will excuse me I have far more important things to do than become angry with you."

For the girl in question it looked as if he was turning his back on their relationship, and it was breaking her heart. So she moved forward to call out to him, without thinking of the consequences that her actions might have.

"Wait Gar…"

Before the emoticlones could even collectively groan at how much the girl was screwing this situation up the real Raven found herself pinned against the wall. Her wrists were being held above her head by the man's forearm, while his other hand was resting on her throat, not hard enough to actually cause any damage but enough to let her know how easily he could.

His mouth was open in a snarl, showing off the glint of white fangs sharp enough to tear flesh with ease.

His eyes were narrowed, like a predator that had just leapt onto its prey and was preparing to decide what to tear rip open first.

"Don't you ever call me that again! You have never earned the right to use that name towards me _Raven_."

Though his voice had barely risen, the intent and anger behind it was obvious.

Raven could only stare wide eyed at the boy, who had proven that if push came to shove he could end her life in an instant, as he bore down on her.

A split second later she felt to the ground, gasping for the breath she hadn't realized that she had been holding the entire time.

As she looked up from her position on the floor she caught a slight flash of green as her former friend walked away and around a corner.

***A/N***

First chapter of Beast Boy being back on the team and there is already so much drama! I hope everyone enjoyed the slight changes I made in him, not only physically but personality wise.

Before anyone becomes too upset with his powers, I am trying to keep them as 'animal realistic' (if that makes any sense) as possible. So there will be no outrageous super speed, no bench pressing of buildings, no magical flight, no laser eyes, etc.

His durability and strength might be explained in later chapters, I haven't really decided yet.

I tried to include more of the other Titans in this chapter, I hadn't intended on using Starfire as much as I did but I rather enjoy how their little spar turned out.

Raven is just as socially awkward as always, mainly because I feel that she would be especially towards someone she always treated like a child or annoying little brother.

 **I am still working on a few of the relationships in the story so if anyone has any suggestions or requests feel free to shoot me a PM or review. I won't promise I will use them but I have already modded the story a little due to requests.**

As always I hope everyone enjoyed reading. I had a blast writing this chapter.


	10. Forgiveness

**The Roles we Play**

Forgiveness

Big thanks to all those who have supported my story in one way or another.

***Still don't own the Teen Titans, still sad about that. ***

 _"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you."_ – Lewis B Smedes

 _***TRwP***_

Despite the slight tension between Raven and Beast Boy life at the Tower had returned to a fairly normal pace since the changeling had returned.

The petty arguments and disagreements had dissolved, even without the green hero taking additional punishment, allowing for a far more relaxed and stable atmosphere throughout for the team.

The only noticeable issue was with Raven and Beast Boy, who had yet to reconcile from their argument which lead to a few silent dinners while the two avoided each other.

Speaking of which, it had been another awkward silence so far with the Titan's morning breakfast. Just as Starfire was about to comment about it the alarm rang out.

 _***TRwP***_

The armor clad man kicked a car out of his path, laughing as it skidded across the street and flipped onto its side. This was one of the reasons Adonis loved being… well him, the feeling of raw power that came from his awesomeness was like sheer adrenaline mixed with Vodka and oral sex all rolled into one.

As he tossed aside another car, completely unnecessarily but doing it rather to prove his strength, he came upon his target, the Jump City Branch of the first U.S. National Bank.

A growing boy needed his 'greens' after all.

Glancing around, he spotted a nearby dumpster and with a sadistic smile, grabbed the sides and heaved it through the air towards the glass doors.

Just as object was about to slam through the entrance it was encased in a dark energy and moved to the side.

Adonis frowned, his fun spoiled at the last minute by a bunch of prissy little heroes.

As he turned the large man spotted the group of teenagers, taking up their usual team positions as their leader began rambling about how he was going to jail, how they would take him down, yadda yadda yadda.

The villain spotted a conveniently placed fire hydrant and smirked before running forward and kicking it at the masked boy, much like a football.

Robin was able to dodge out of the way easily though, and let loose a handful of explosive pellets which impacted harmlessly on the man's upraised arm. As he lowered it though the realization hit him that it had only been a distraction, as a powerful cybernetic fist smashed into his face plate and launched him backwards a dozen or more feet.

The over testosteroned man glared, before ripping a nearby street lamp from the ground and began swinging it around like a baseball bat.

 _***TRwP***_

Raven was not in a good mood she had overslept and missed her morning shower. Then she had forgotten her book after making her tea, only to find it much later and return to a now cold cup of liquid. Then there was the fact that Beast Boy was still avoiding her as much as humanely possible, which further aggravated her and increased the loneliness she had been feeling lately.

Of course now she was painfully aware of what Beast Boy must have been feeling when he was the 'fifth wheel' over a year ago. With Starfire and Robin getting back together, shocking, and Cyborg making amends with Jinx, she was one of the only two members of the Titans not to be in some sort of relationship, which made it rather difficult for her not to sigh in frustration every time one of them couples returned from an intimate encounter.

Now they were fighting an overcompensating moron whose entire plan for his future was "act cool, break stuff, and get laid."

Worst of all he was putting up a decent fight against the six heroes.

Deciding to end this battle here and now, and then return to a long hot bath and maybe an afternoon nap, Raven called out her famous enchantment and surrounded the man in her dark energy, only for it to dissipate immediately.

Her shock was short lived, however, as the villain caught sight of her and charged forward, throwing her into a nearby building with a powerful backhanded slap.

Looking up she had just enough time to catch sight of the minivan hurtling towards her, and brace herself for the inevitable impact.

The pain never came though, as she found herself several feet away, in the muscled arms of her green teammate. Apparently he had seen the attack coming and had pulled her up and out of the way just in time to avoid catastrophe.

"B-Beast Boy?" She breathed out, still a bit shaky from the attack.

"Are you okay Raven?"

She nodded dumbly, looking up at him from this angle was…. entrancing to say the least. He kept his gaze at their opponent, who was busy flailing around angrily at the other Titans. The way that the sun seemed to illuminate the boy's features, along with the obvious improvement of musculature, which was only heightened now that she was being held against his chest bridal style, was forcing her heart to beat faster and faster.

"We need to get you out of the immediate area, at least until you can recover."

"Uh…."

'Nice comeback genius, the boy er man saves your life and the best you can come up with is uh'. The empathy berated herself as the changeling finally found what he was looking for, Robin had noticed the situation and thrown a gas pellet on the ground next to the rampaging man, cloaking the team and allowing the green hero to hide the sorceress in a nearby alley way.

After checking over her wounds Beast Boy gave her a nod and charged back into the fray, intent on dealing back some bruises to the man who had harmed his teammate.

And pay back the bruises he did.

Thanks to a distraction from Jinx, the three strongest members of the Titans engaged in a three on one physical beat down of the man, culminating in the tearing apart of his armor, and more than a few broken bones.

 _***TRwP***_

As Raven reentered the area she noticed the Titans off doing their various after combat activities. Robin was coordinating with the police, Starfire and Jinx were checking on the nearby civilians, Cyborg was inspecting collateral damage to the area, and Beast Boy…. was strangely enough rummaging through pieces of the man's armor.

As she approached the green boy, hoping to properly thank him for saving her life, she saw him pause on a piece of metal that had been ripped from their adversary. Then he began inspecting it with a much greater intensity, his eyes narrowed as he turned it various ways in order to look at whatever had caught his interest from a different perspective.

"Hey BB, what you got there man?" The cybernetic teen inquired, as he jogged over to his friend.

Raven scowled a bit, she had been hoping to be the one to start the conversation and try to ease back into some sense of a relationship with the hero.

"Not sure, hey Raven could you come take a look at this?"

The empathy immediately perked up and hurried over, while trying to look less excited than she felt at being called on by her teammate.

At this point the other three Titans made their way over as well, curious about the new development.

"What is it Beast Boy?" the grey sorceress inquired, as she was handed the material.

"You might want to take a look at that, it could explain why your powers weren't working on him."

Raven glanced down, and her eyes widened in shock. Beast Boy was right, the metal was inscribed with arcane runes, dozens of them just on this piece alone.

"Robin, we are going to need the rest of his armor." The girl clarified, earning a suspicious nod from the leader who motioned for Cyborg to help him load the weapon onto the T-Car.

 _***TRwP***_

The Titans had decided to skip their post victory pizza and travel back to the tower instead, wanting to inspect the suspicious object, and avoid the crowds that had long since realized where the heroes gathered to eat lunch and had begun making stake outs around the eateries, hoping to grab an autograph or picture with the teenagers.

Back at the tower the team made a quick lunch before proceeding to the inspection area, which had more than enough instruments and gadgets for going over the retrieved armor.

"Well the metal is reinforced, but overall it's nothing too special or high end. Neither are the circuitry or engine components of it. The only thing out of place seems to be the runes." Cyborg announced, after the machine had produced a few pages of results.

"So, what do we know about them?" Robin inquired, earning a gesture from the mechanical man as the computer put a complete digital copy on the wide screen monitor. Seconds later the runes were combined to form an intricate pattern.

"The computer analyzed them and put them back together with where they would be on the armor, this is the complete picture."

Raven's eyes narrowed, she had seen inscriptions like this before in some of her books, but this was way too advanced for someone like Adonis to have figured out alone.

"It looks like a magical resistance seal, designed to make whatever is carved on it resistant to magic of any kind."

Surprisingly it was Beast Boy who spoke out, earning curious glances from the other Titans.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Beast Boy? There is no way you know what kind of magic runes those are. Hell you still thought magic was pulling a rabbit out of a hat a few years ago." The dark skinned male responded.

"Hey that was a really cool trick I mean the rabbit was larger than the guy's hat!"

"Focus Beast Boy…."

"Right sorry Robin, anyway I don't know very much about magic itself but we have used those suppression runes before."

"We?" Raven inquired

"The Doom Patrol"

"Pardon but I thought that The Patrol of the Dooms was only for hunting down humans?" Starfire questioned, earning a shake of his head as Beast Boy continued staring at the monitor in thought.

"Nope, besides I have dealt with enough Succubi to know how to spot something like this."

The room became deathly quiet, some from curiosity, some from sheer astonishment.

"Wait what the heck is a Succubi?" It was Cyborg who broke the silence first.

"They are demons of lust, what I want to know is what exactly do you mean 'dealt with enough'." Raven practically growled out, though she was going to have to talk to her emoticlones later about why she was so upset about this.

"Exactly as it sounds, The Doom Patrol has had to deal with demons before, usually Succubi or Incubi since they are the most common of the ones that visit earth. Usually they just visit a small town or village, eat their fill, and then move on. But sometimes they do far higher targets and mess with politics or military personnel, and then we have to stop in to prevent any kinds of damage."

"Wait you are saying that they eat the towns?"

"No Star I think he means they eat people." Robin responded.

"Sorry bird boy but your both wrong, Incubi and Succubi are called 'lust demons' for a reason. They feed on life and sexual energy of humans, usually through intercourse." Jinx replied, causing Robin and Cyborg's eyes to shoot wide open.

"Wh-what?"

The pinkette let out a deep sigh, sometimes her boyfriend really was a bit dull. "Yes Vic there are demons who want to sleep with you and feed on energy like that."

"Are they at least…. You know…. hot?"

The glares that the mechanical man received quickly told him that it had been the wrong choice of words

"I-I mean not that it matters of course! I was just wondering how we could identify them if we ever encountered one right Rob?"

"Uh yeah, strictly for tactical reasons of course, but if you could describe what they look like maybe we could be better prepared."

"They usually take the form of beautiful men or women. They have a look of confidence and sexuality that seems to radiate off of them. When they go after specific targets they will actually research them ahead of time and pick out the 'ideal image' that their victim is attracted to. Once you engage them in sexual activities though you will feel drained afterwards and begin falling under a type of hypnosis that they create, making your far more susceptible towards them if they wish to continue." Beast Boy's voice rang out the answer.

"That does not sound all too awful, I can imagine quite the sweaty and high heat valued man" Starfire fantasized happily, getting the other two women to drool a bit in fantasy as well.

"Ah hem… if you three are done, so how would one uh…. deal with them?" Robin asked, focusing his attention on the changeling, who seemed to have the most experience dealing with them.

"The best course of action is to get rid of them from afar the closer you are the more you will pick up on their aura. If you have to engage in close quarters I suggest ripping their throats out."

Again the room became silent as the Titans stared at the green teammate.

He turned around and quirked an eyebrow, as if confused at why everyone had grown silent.

"Isn't that a bit… harsh?" Jinx mumbled out.

"Not when their victims are slowly drained of their life force and left to rot. The reason you go for the throat is because most of their magic and charms are focused through their voice. If you take this away then you will be considerably better off."

Raven's eyes widened as her mind flashed back to their argument.

 _***Flashback***_

 _Raven found herself pinned against the wall. Her wrists were being held above her head by the man's forearm, while his other hand was resting on her throat, not hard enough to actually cause any damage but enough to let her know how easily he could._

 _***End Flashback***_

He had employed the same anti-demonic tactics back then by instinct. Clearly the boy had more than just one encounter with demons of that type if he had reacted so quickly.

"We are getting a bit off topic, so somehow Adonis put anti magic runes all over his armor?" Robin called out, gaining everyone's attention once more.

"I doubt it Robin, Adonis is pretty dull when it comes to anything more than robotics and breaking things, heck I am not even sure he builds the suits himself. This is definitely not something you can just look up online and do. This is professional work." Raven snapped herself out of the memories and back to the task at hand, resolving to speak with the green teenager later.

"Alright, well let's do a search and see if we can come up with anything. I will go through crime files and see if I can locate any of his former cell mates that might be more magically inclined, Cyborg will back me up. Raven you and Jinx see if you can figure out anything using the runes themselves. I don't know about magic but most bomb manufacturers have a signature that they put into their devices, maybe it's the same with runes. Starfire and Beast Boy, you two see if you can track down where Adonis got the suit from, even if we can find the original manufacturer it might give us a general lead to where he was staying and where he might have come into contact with his mysterious friend.

The Titans nodded before splitting off, Raven's eyes lingering just a tad longer on the changeling before she joined Jinx in the library.

 _***TRwP***_

Hours later the team returned to gather in their briefing room to report the various findings, or lack thereof.

"Alright Titans," Robin began, rubbing his temples as he felt a headache starting, "I guess Cyborg and I will begin first."

"Right well after going through all of Adonis' files we found absolute crap. Zilch, zero, nadda, nothing, empty…"

"We get it Cyborg… Raven and Jinx, did you two have any luck?"

"A bit Robin, it seems as though this would have required a very high level of magical competency like we had originally assumed. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any solid database containing magical 'signatures'. Most of Raven's books are merely on the occult and the spells themselves, they are certainly not up to date enough to actually pin point or lead to anyone."

Robin nodded he figured as much but had hoped for some kind of luck on their part.

"Starfire and Beast Boy, any progress?"

"A bit of the luck Robin, we found where Adonis appears to have paid for the robot suit to be built, unfortunately there was no longer anyone there. We did find some of the clues though so perhaps you can do the snooping and discover who the builder was?"

"Nice work you two, alright I will go over whatever you guys have tonight. I do have a bad feeling that I already know who might have been partially behind it though."

'Please don't say Slade' the other Titans mentally chanted in unison

"I think it was that group of mercenaries that attacked us in the bank. So far they are the only ones who showed any type of specialized training on dealing with magic or demonic powers. We haven't been able to get any information on them since the attack though so…"

"It wasn't them."

The Titans turned to Beast Boy, who was going through the information that Starfire had presented.

"Uh BB, what do you mean?"

"It wasn't them, they aren't a threat anymore."

"And you know this how Beast Boy?" Robin inquired, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

The changeling seemed to ignore the implication though and answered with no change in tone, "Do you really want to know?"

The room fell silent again as the various heroes and heroines pondered what the boy had just implied.

"Normally Beast Boy I would be reluctant but okay with you keeping business to yourself, especially if your other team was involved, but since this does affect us…" The boy wonder began.

"They are dead."

Robin's eyes widened in shock that was something he hadn't been expecting to be said so bluntly, despite knowing what it was The Doom Patrol did.

"BB did you guys…"

"You know I can't answer that, I'll just say this, they have been dead for months now, which happened before our info says Adonis bought the suit."

Robin reluctantly nodded, not wanting to press the issue in front of the others.

"Alright well then at least we can rule them out as potential suspects. For now let's just take some time to wind down from the day we have been through. We can pick this up tomorrow when everyone is fresh and recovered." Robin had long since learned to tone down on the obsessive nature of his investigations. He found that all it did was cause tension in the team, and poor performance when instead by just putting in a few hours of free time it would improve the Titans effectiveness by leaps and bounds.

The Titans nodded in agreement before heading off to their own activities, with Raven following after Beast Boy.

 _***TRwP***_

"Beast Boy could you wait up a second?"

The green teenager in question paused in his journey to turn back towards the empathy, surprisingly there wasn't any tension or animosity in his eyes, just curiosity.

"I know there has been some tension and awkwardness between us lately and I just want to apologize for my actions the other day. I'm not very good at this whole apologizing thing."

"It's okay Raven, I know you didn't mean anything by it, I was stressed out too from all the moving around and being with my old team again so I was to blame as well. Sorry if I hurt you."

The sorceress shook her head. "You didn't, I do have a question for you though."

The boy nodded, before turning his complete attention to the girl, waiting patiently as she thought about the wording.

"You mentioned dealing with Demons before, with The Doom Patrol. Did you know what I was when you first joined the Titans?"

The changeling closed his eyes, thinking back all those years ago to their first encounter.

"I had my suspicions sure, I knew you were using some form of magic and that the origin of it was something darker than what it normally is, but I also knew you weren't a demon."

"How?"

"You didn't smell like it."

"How do demons smell exactly?"

"Like sulfur, as silly as it sounds. Also they usually have a faint odor of burning flesh and smoke."

"Ah well that is interesting. So uh… how do I smell exactly?" The girl averted her eyes after muttering out her question, hoping to hide the faint blush that now adorned her face.

"Like old books and tea leaves. Of course that tends to change a bit depending on the day and your activities though…"

"Yeah…. I don't… participate in those anymore. I don't think I am welcome in them after we had our eye opening moment."

"Sorry to hear that, I know it helped to make you happy."

"I don't think it was necessarily happiness. More like just stress relief, Azar knows I have needed it, I mean _used to_ _need_ it back then."

If Beast Boy caught the slight slip, he didn't say anything but just nodded in agreement to her statement.

 _***TRwP***_

Later that day Bumblebee and her team stopped by on their way back to the (Titan East?) headquarters. Robin had immediately invited them to stay for dinner.

"So Starfire, I heard you and Robin had a bit of a falling out? Any chance you are staying on the market?" Speedy inquired, waggling his eyebrows in an attempt to be seductive.

"Could you explain please? What market am I on? If it is the International Mustard Market then I am still interested yes."

The other Titans gagged silently at the thought of an entire market just designed for different kinds of mustard.

After recovering Robin glared at his counterpart, already regretting inviting them to spend time in the Tower.

Meanwhile Jinx and Bumblebee had started a slight competition on who could get more attention from their joint love interest.

"So Cyborg, have you decided when you are going to come out our way to do some upgrades?" the dark skinned female inquired, earning a slight "humph" from the pinkette.

"I'm sure you can handle upgrading your own systems by yourself, after all I can imagine you are very skilled with all kinds of electronics, especially the vibrating variety." Jinx responded to the question, as she examined her fingernails in nonchalance.

"Oh? Did you say something Jinx? I am surprised they even let you into the tower with your habit of breaking everything around you."

"Something you want to say to my face?"

"Yeah Cyborg downgraded with you, he should have stuck with the obviously superior model."

"You know what Bit…"

"LADIES! Let's not fight we are all civilized people here and heroes on top of that."

"Cyborg is right you two. You shouldn't be fighting over some guy, especially him." Aqualad chimed in, earning more glares than intended.

"What exactly is that supposed to me fish boy?" Jinx growled out, before being joined by her former adversary.

"Yeah Aqualad… what exactly are you implying, that Jinx and I don't have good taste in men?"

'How the heck did everyone turn against me so quickly…' the Atlantean nervously pondered.

"N-no of course not I was just…"

"Just what exactly?" The pinkette pressed, her face turning redder in anger every second.

"Uhh….. nothing?"

"Damn straight 'nothing'." The leader of Titans East declared before standing up and walking over to the mechanical man in question, before smashing her lips into his, earning gasps from the others in the room.

"Comeon big boy, I think I need a reminder of how amazing you are." She reached out and grabbed his hand before walking towards the door.

She almost made it to before Jinx jumped in front of her.

"EXCUSE ME!? Where the hell do you think you are taking **MY** boyfriend?"

"I was planning on taking him to his room before I rock his world."

"Oh you think you are so much better than me huh? That you can just waltz in here and take him back like nothing ever happened? Well I got news for you bitch it aint happenin, the only one seducing my love machine is me."

"Oh yeah? I bet you I can make him moan louder than you ever could."

"We will see about that!"

The pale girl grabbed Cyborg's free hand before helping Bumblebee drag the wide eyed, and thoroughly confused, man from the room and down the hall.

"Uh…. Did anyone else just see that or have I finally gone insane?" Speedy inquired.

"Well I guess you are staying here for the next couple of hours at least." Robin replied, before a slight chuckle interrupted him.

"Sorry Robin but unlike you my bro actually has the moves and stamina to back his attitude up. You guys will at least be here overnight, maybe even into tomorrow evening if the two girls don't kill each other." The changeling called out, before returning to the last bit of food on his plate.

The detective just grumbled out a response before continuing his own meal, ignoring the smirks he was receiving from Speedy and Aqualad.

 _***TRwP***_

"Hey Beast Boy, do you have a minute?" Raven interrupted the teen as he was about to step into his room for the night.

"Sure Raven whatsup?"

"That thing you said earlier today about Cyborg… how are you so aware of his…."

"Natural talents? My ears aren't pointy just for show, I can hear just about everything that goes on in the Tower at any given moment. So I know exactly how both of my teammates perform. Before you say anything, as gross as that sounds it is a hundred times worse experiencing it. I basically lived in a porno for a couple of those weeks."

"Sorry…. I wouldn't say Robin was bad though…"

The laughter that Beast Boy replied with brought a small smile to the empath's face.

"Oh believe me Raven… Robin has nothing on Cyborg in the terms of physical ability. Robin is what we call 'quick on the draw'. Also most of those moans that you or Starfire made were pathetic, even as attempts to 'fake it'."

This comment brought a bright blush onto the heroines face, as she tried to hide herself into her cloak.

"A pity too, I bet I could have made you into a screamer. Oh well such is life right?"

The green toned boy took time to glance over his teammate one more time, his eyes roaming over her form, before a smile appeared on his face and he said his goodnights.

 _***TRwP***_

Beast Boy and Robin were the first two up the next morning, with the boy wonder appearing to be in a rather sour mood for once.

The two men did a formal grunt to greet each other they sat down for some breakfast, only to be interrupted by the door opening a few minutes later.

Cyborg strolled in, a bit of 'pep' in his step as he hummed a soft tune and made his way to the fridge.

After opening it he let out a loud satisfied sigh before scanning the contents of the fridge.

The remaining boys just ignored him and kept eating.

As the mechanical began cooking a large skillet full of bacon he let out another, even louder, sigh of contentment.

Again he was ignored.

A few minutes passed when the food had finally cooked and the dark skinned man sat down, he took a large breath, preparing to let out an even bigger sigh before he was interrupted.

"We get it Cyborg you had a threesome, get over it."

But the largest man merely took on a shocked, innocent expression.

"I have no idea what you are talking about Robin. To accuse me of such a vulgar act is as unbecoming of you as a leader… I did not have a threesome… However I did make two super powered females very tired and very content over the course of three hours."

Robin just gaped like a fish.

"Wow three hours Cy? Those two must have tag teamed you if you only managed that long."

"Yeah they were a bit… insatiable. Are we sure that Jinx isn't a succubus?"

"Yeah Cy I am sure she isn't."

The larger man merely shrugged, before smirking in superiority towards his team leader and beginning his own food.

Minutes passed.

"THREE HOURS!?" Robin finally shouted in confusion.

 _***TRwP***_

True to his guess The Titans East had not departed until much later in the afternoon, with their leader walking with a noticeable limp the entire time, along with the pinkette who took the time to see her off with far more respect than the two had shown each other the previous day.

An hour later Robin called a team meeting, "Thanks to a bit of additional research and the information that both Starfire and Beast Boy provided we were able to locate the man who constructed the armor that Adonis used. From what Raven and Jinx have said the transcriptions most likely occurred when it was being built so that means this guy either knows enough about magic to do it, or he had help."

The others nodded in understanding before he continued, "I finally managed to track him down, he is currently laying low in a town outside of Jump City, the plan is to arrest him and bring him in for interrogation, we need to get to the bottom of this and prevent any further misuse of magic."

"This could be worse than we think Robin. If this man has as much knowledge as we believe he could use magical runes to do far worse than simply shield others from my spells."

"How much worse are we talking about?"

"If he has the correct knowledge or access to it, he could potentially work towards summoning demonic creatures into our world."

The name went through everyone's mind at the same time.

'Trigon'

***A/N***

So yeah BB and Raven made up, I didn't want it turning into a dozen chapter long argument or anything and I feel that despite his change in personality Beast Boy is of the "forgive and forget" philosophy.

As for Cyborg's threesome…. Well what can I say? The poor guy doesn't get enough love in Fanfictions generally so think of this as a gift to him for what he normally doesn't get, also Robin has not suffered enough yet for my taste…. Suffer Robin suffer!

This chapter also starts the beginning of the next main 'saga' of the story. I hope it turns out as awesome as I am planning.

As always I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, I had a hell of a lot of fun writing it.


	11. The Road Darkens

**The Roles we Play**

The Road Darkens

Huge thanks to all of you who have spent time from your days to read, review, like, or favorite my story.

***Nope still don't own or make any $$***

 _"Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody."_ –Mark Twain

 _***TRwP***_

"So what's the plan Rob? We walk into the guy's shop and say 'hey I heard that you dabble in dark sorcery and the mystic arts, could you tell us if you have any dealings with an interdimensional all powerful demon lord?' I'm sure that will go over well."

"No Cyborg we aren't going that route, I was thinking more along the lines of just arresting the jerk and offering him a deal for information."

"What if he is the one behind all this? Or even worse what if he is being watched by the real threats and we tip them off?" Raven inquired.

"She's right Robin, we can't just barge in there and start throwing around threats, especially if this guy hears about the takedown of Adonis, he will know we are coming and be ready for us. I don't know about everyone else but I would rather not walk into a magical trap set up by a sociopath."

"Jinx is on the right side perhaps we should do the setting of the traps of our own instead?"

"I like how you are thinking Starfire. Never charge into a cornered animals den, instead you make them come to you."

"Alright, what do you two have in mind?" The leader inquired, glancing over at his orange and green teammates.

Beast Boy's lips turned to a rather vicious smile as he looked towards his cybernetic teammate.

 _***TRwP***_

"Hey who the hell owns this hole in the wall?"

"What the hell do you want?" The large man shouted from a back room as he walked into the waiting portion of his shop. The grizzled man glanced at the two figures standing at the counter, both he recognized from dealing with villains in the past.

The blonde hair and irritating attitude was an obvious give away for 'Kitten' while her father was always easy to spot.

"Did you two seriously walk in off the street? I am trying to keep a low profile here!" the owner grumbled as he glanced outside for any obvious police presence.

"Whatever, daddy here says that since my birthday is coming up I can have whatever I want, right daddy?"

The moth creature just grumbled in response before crossing his arms in an annoyed fashion.

"Listen toots I don't sell jewelry, perfume, stuffed animals, or whatever the hell else you teenagers are into so why don't you go find some nice store in the mall and have your 'daddy' here terrorize them into giving you something from there instead? I am a business man and I have real business to attend to."

"Daddy says he will pay top price for whatever I want."

"What can I do for you today you miss?"

The blonde smirked, "That's what I thought. Word on the street is that you make custom stuff for whoever can afford it. I was looking for something that might be able to deal with the annoying skanks who reside in that overgrown eyesore of a 'T' in Jump City. Once they are gone then Robbie-poo will be all mine!"

"Whatever you say miss, so what did you have in mind?"

"Something big and powerful, and don't forget destructive. Something that will make what that overgrown meathead Adonis had look like a kid's toy. It needs to be able to squash that orange skinned slut and deal with that gothic whore's magic as well."

"Well I have something I have been working on almost complete in the back if you and your 'daddy' would like to take a look."

The teenager jumped for joy before skipping after the man, with her father groaning and following along obediently.

"I call her the NG-1. She is top of the line robotics with a completely self automated and controlled system. Fully loaded with over thirty five different weapons she is nearly one hundred percent immune to dark sorcery and even if you are somehow separated from the suit, she will fight to reach you completely on her own."

"NG-1? That's a stupid name you should call her something cool like 'Destructor'."

"Well if you buy her you can name her whatever you want."

"How do I know what you say is true about the magic resistance?"

"Well between you and me I have been receiving some tutoring in the dark arts recently. Like I said she isn't completely immune but its close enough that it will negate about ninety five percent of the influence."

"How much?"

"Since you are a first time customer I will give you a discount for such a prized piece of technology. Only a million five for the whole thing, I'll even throw in a flower scented air freshener."

"Deal, pay him daddy and let's get her into the truck."

Killer Moth grumbled out what sounded like 'respecting your elders' before opening a large briefcase full of cash he had cuffed to his wrist. Upon counting out the money the mechanic nodded before activating the machine and opening up a nearby truck door that lead to a back alley.

"Bring your ride around back and we can load her up without raising any more attention than you already have."

The moth man nodded before leaving the store, and pulling around with a large truck a few minutes later.

 _***TRwP***_

Alright then, just put your finger into this scanner and it will lock onto your DNA then she will follow your commands.

The girl nodded before happily doing so, and squealed in delight as the machine turned towards her.

"Soooo cool, thank you daddy! Alright then let's get this loaded up and back to smash some brats."

The mechanic nodded, before his eyes opened wide in shock as he was blasted from behind by a green bolt of energy, and fell unconscious.

"Well that was easier than expected, nice work team." Robin praised, as he jumped down from a nearby building.

"What else were you expecting 'Robbie-poo?"

The boy wonder shuddered in discomfort as he turned towards the blonde.

"Alright Jinx that's enough, I think I could go another couple of years without having to see that image ever again."

"Awww but I was having soooooo much fun. Blonde's do have the most fun after all, right daddy?"

Cyborg had deactivated his holoring as quickly as possible, before turning to glare at his girlfriend.

"I am never doing something like that again Robin, and for the record you owe me big time for this one. And for the love of all that is right in this world would you take that disguise off Jinx!"

"B-but what do you mean _daddy_ I thought we could have some _fun_ tonight. I bet you would like pulling my blonde hair…"

The dark skinned man's eyes shot wide open, as a bit of drool ran down from his mouth.

"Well when you put it like that…"

"Robin, could you explain please? Is this what is called 'the playing of the roles?"

Robin merely face palmed at having to explain another uncomfortable situation to the alien princess.

 _***TRwP***_

The man responsible for Adonis's rampage was now sitting in an interrogation cell in the Titan Tower. Gathered in the observation room were the six members of the team.

"So what now Robin?" The Tamaranean inquired.

"I don't really care as long as the dude talks, besides me and Jinx have some…. issues to sort out so let's figure this out quick and then break for the rest of the day." The cybernetic man replied, but his eyes were busy focusing on the still disguised pinkette.

"That is so wrong on so many levels…. Regardless we need him to give up whoever has been teaching him this stuff and we sure as hell are not letting him go so I think a good old fashioned interrogation is in order. Cyborg, good cop bad cop?"

"Robin does it look like I'm interested in…"

"Too bad Vic, I always loved a big strong man who could…."

Before Jinx could even finish her statement Cyborg had grabbed his leader's arm and practically drug him out of the room and into the room where their prisoner was being held.

"ALRIGHT SCUM BAG YOU ARE GONNA TELL US WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW!" The mechanical man roared out, as he slammed his fists down on the table, cracking it in the process.

Robin just let out a mental sigh before switching to the role he was trained in as Batman's apprentice.

"Look man my friend here has had a very long day, he missed out on getting laid last night and we all know how that feels like. So my suggestion would be to just deal with him as quickly as possible before he starts really losing it."

"I don't care what you little twerps want, I aint afraid of some kid who hasn't gotten sex in a few days."

"OH YOU DAMN SURE BETTER BE AFRAID MAGGOT! I'M GONNA REACH DOWN YOUR THROAT AND USE YOUR INTESTINES FOR A JUMP ROPE!"

Robin's eye twitched. Did Cyborg seriously think this was going to work? He was seriously hoping that Raven or Beast Boy would intervene, hell any other Titan would be more effective than whatever the hell he was trying to do.

"Listen I understand that you are a business man, and I can see where you are coming from. As the leader I am sort of a business man myself. You don't want to betray any of your clients or get a bad reputation, understandable. All we are asking is that you give us the name of who has been teaching you these magical arts, that's all. We will keep your involvement strictly confidential and we can even put in a good word with you with the warden. Heck you could get parole years earlier than normal if your record says that you cooperated."

The man just laughed in response.

"Do you seriously think I would last in prison if I told you who had helped me? These people don't have limits or boundaries. Once you go after them, and they rip you and your precious little team to pieces they will come after me, and I have no intention of being magically ripped apart thank you very much. So you can tell your half boyfriend half car over here that he can stop with the tough guy act. I'm not afraid of him or any of your other joke of a team. Your two witches don't scare me, your princess doesn't scare me, and your vegetable mascot sure as hell doesn't scare me boy blunder. The fact of the matter is that all of you super heroes have one major flaw and we all know about it. You have to follow the rules. The bad guys don't."

Robin scowled, but before Cyborg could try and more physical intimidation the door to the room opened up, and the resident changeling poked his head in.

"Hey Robin and Cyborg, you guys should take a break, this isn't working."

Robin's jaw dropped.

Did Beast Boy seriously just take all of the tension and pressure in the room out of the equation by blatantly admitting what they were doing?

"Beast Boy…" The leader growled out, as the two men approached their other teammate, and noticed that the girls were standing behind him, looking confused as well.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Robin angrily whispered, trying to move the conversation into the hallway, but was unsuccessful with the man standing in the doorway.

"Look you two go take a break, that way Cyborg can get laid and cool off a bit and you can go 'relax' with Starfire. Afterwards you will be rested and feeling fresh again and can retry this whole 'good cop, bad cop' thing." The boy had apparently forgotten what discretion was as their captive merely chuckled in response.

"Tell you what, I'll take the first shift watching him if you are really worried about any escape attempts, how does that sound?"

"We are going to have a long talk about this Beast Boy…" Robin managed to respond without yelling as he pushed past the teenager and stormed off, Starfire following closely behind.

A dumbfounded Cyborg merely followed the disguised blonde, as she pulled on his hand towards their living quarters, hoping to avoid any more stress.

The changeling merely sighed and looked up at the man, his eyes portraying a sense of boredom.

Walking in the green teenager sat down across from the man, before noticing that Raven had joined him as well.

"Really kid? You do this big speech and 'tell off' your boss only to do the same thing? Let me guess you are going to be the one who 'tries' to keep your witch girlfriend from going berserk on me right? Hate to be the bearer of bad news but it aint gonna work, I already told your leader that she doesn't scare me."

"Oh I know, actually I was just about to tell her to go and relax as well, no sense in wasting her time sitting in a silent room after all."

"Beast Boy I am not going to leave you alone with him, what if…"

"What if we sit in here and we stare at each other until the others get back? That means a few hours for Cyborg and about one hour for Robin, assuming they cuddle for fifty-five minutes afterwards."

The man choked out a snorting laugh, earning a grin from the changeling.

"Ha told you I'm funny Raven."

The girl just rolled her eyes and moved towards the door, after opening it she glanced back, hesitation obvious in her eyes, but received a nonchalant wave from her teammate and left.

 _***TRwP***_

"What the hell was he thinking? Didn't I explain to him what the rules were? Rule number one, never interrupt an interrogation!" The boy wonder heatedly exclaimed, as he held a private conversation with himself.

Meanwhile Starfire watched on nervously, while sitting on his bed. She had seen him act this way before, usually towards Slade, and the outcome was never positive.

"Robin, perhaps Beast Boy is just looking out for everyone's interests of the best? You have been stressed lately and perhaps…"

"Perhaps nothing Starfire! This is serious business and Beast Boy is screwing around like he always has."

"Is it not the round of screwing that has helped us before? Is that not what his job is on the team, to relieve the tension?"

"Not when it endangers the mission Starfire, this time he has gone too far. He needs to be serious on a mission, we all need to be. We need to act more like…"

"Like The Patrol of Doom? You would rather us act more like soldiers than like a family that can talk and get along? Is that what you mean?"

"What? No! Starfire I didn't mean…"

"What did you not do the meaning of Robin? It seems that you have not changed at all from the last year. Perhaps we are not ready to come back from the break like I had thought." The girl gave a 'humph' before leaving the room.

"Great… can this get any worse?" Robin turned toward a mannequin that was clothed in what he had eventually chosen to be his 'Nightwing' costume.

"Well? What are you looking at?"

Unsurprisingly the plastic figure did not respond, and the Titan leader rubbed his forehead in irritation.

"And now I am talking to a mannequin…

 _***TRwP***_

Cyborg… well the large man had almost made it into his room before practically attacking his girlfriend, and throwing her onto the bed… before slamming the door shut behind him.

It was going to be a _long, hard,_ and _sweaty_ afternoon for the two lovers.

 _***TRwP***_

"We shouldn't have left him in there all by himself, what if that bad man attacks BB? What if BB get's lonely?"

"Timid for the twelfth time he will be fine. Beast Boy is more than capable of handling himself."

"Raven is right, if that guy tries anything BB will tear him apart, heck he tied with Starfire in a raw fight so I highly doubt that the mechanic can even get the drop on him." Brave agreed.

"Indeed, maybe after this little incident has resolved itself Beast Boy would be able to handle _us_ as well…" Affection mumbled out, her eyes glazing over in a lust filled haze.

"Haven't I already made it clear enough that I am not going to seduce him?"

"You can 'make it clear enough' all you want Raven. The fact of the matter is that we are way to tense right now, and quite frankly that man is looking more like a meal every day we see him. Imagine it Raven… you and Beast Boy, alone in a hotel room on some stupid stakeout mission with nothing to do. Your assigned roles to be as a boyfriend and girlfriend to avoid suspicion, which means just one bed…" Rage begins, before Happy takes over the fantasy.

"BB walks out from the bathroom, having just taken a shower, nothing but a towel around his waist. His emerald green skin is covered in small water droplets, each one slowly traveling down his skin, as if kissing it, doing what you secretly want to…"

"He looks deep into your eyes there is an unspoken moment between the two of you. It has been too long since either of you received any 'relief' too long 'pretending' to be lovers with none of the intimacy that comes as a reward, you slowly stand and walk towards him…" Knowledge was next to get in on the story, before passing it over to Brave.

"His beautiful eyes focus on you, in that one moment it feels like it's just you and him, alone in the world. And you wouldn't have it any other way. His gaze drags over you, admiring your curves as you reach forward to the flimsy knot that holds the one barrier preventing you from seeing all of him up… his towel falls…"

At this point all of the emotions were lost in the fantasy, before Raven manages to snap herself out of it and teleport back to her room.

"That…."

The empath found she could find no words for what it was that she had just experienced, but one thing was for certain. Her hormones were certainly running wild and if she didn't find some relief for the situation soon…

 _***TRwP***_

A few minutes had ticked by before Beast Boy had gotten up and left the room, only to return around five minutes later with a large duffle bag.

Strangely enough the boy was softly whistling a tune while doing so.

The captive had found it surprisingly unsettling, though for reasons he couldn't quite figure out.

"So what's in the bag, some comic books or video games?"

The boy merely smiled, showing off his fangs a bit, before taking his chair and dragging it to the door. With a dabble of theatrics the hero spun the chair around on its back legs before placing the back rest underneath the door handle, essentially preventing it from opening from the outside.

Now the man was beginning to sweat, but surely there was nothing to worry about right? Heroes had to fall their own 'code' and one of them was that they couldn't just hurt criminals in jail. Self defense yes, but even Batman never assaulted criminals needlessly.

The bag slammed down on the table loudly, ripping the man from his thoughts as the whistling resumed, and the changeling slowly unzipped the bag halfway, keeping its contents unknown.

After a moment of searching the teenager pulled out what looked to be a small box, and set it on the table, then slowly opened it up, revealing a large assortment of objects, ranging from a scalpel to what looked to be pliers, and even a metal pear looking device. Then he pulled out a roll of duct tape.

Now the man was getting nervous, and stood to put some distance between himself and the green skinned freak, or go on the defensive if need be.

He never made it a step from his chair.

A fist slammed into his chest, knocking the wind from him and pushing him, and the chair, across the room.

Before he had caught his breath his wrists had been wrapped to the armrests and his ankles to the legs of the chair.

Then he had been pushed back to the table.

The whistling had never ceased, even for a moment.

"You know, I didn't actually ask them to leave for some sort of silly competition or interrogation game that you seem to be so familiar with. I just didn't want them to be here to interrupt the fun."

"Wh-wha?" the man gasped out, struggling to get his breathing under control.

"Ah still not getting it? Well that's okay, you don't really need to understand why, all you need to understand is what happens next. See you insulted my family, and through your efforts you caused them harm. So we are going to play a game of sorts."

"Uh…"

Finally the man had recovered his ability to take normal breaths and begin to figure out what was happening.

"So here's how this works, it is really quite simple so you should pick up on the rules pretty fast. At least I hope so for your sake. First rule is don't lie to me, if you do…. well we can get to that later, as for the rest of the rules… well let's just say I hope you are a fast learner. Now the way we play is like this. I am going to torture you, for a very long time. Then I will ask a question. If you do not give me an answer, then I will continue torturing you until I get bored. Then I will ask again. So really the best option for you is to tell me what I want to know when I ask."

"Your bluffing, I bet your entire stupid team is sitting behind that pane of glass right now, smugly looking at me, expecting me to be intimidated by this little charade. You just want me to start…"

But before he could continue on, a piece of cloth was tied around his head and into his mouth.

"Don't want you getting any bright ideas like swallowing your own tongue or something like that right? Besides I already told you, torture first, questions later. And if you are so certain about help…"

The boy walked to the glass, and removed one of his gloves to reveal claws adorning each finger, and then he sliced a large rectangle into the mirror, effortlessly cutting through the glass and revealing… an empty room behind it.

"There's no one here to do so. But you did remind me to lock this door as well, thanks. I knew I had forgotten something when I switched off all the cameras and recordings in here." The boy chuckled, before leaping into the observation room and jamming that door as well.

"Now where were we…."

 _***TRwP***_

After taking a few hours to unwind and to unload some anger on a punching bag, Robin was feeling quite relieved. Ironically enough Beast Boy's intervention had indeed proved helpful. His mind was clear and it had been obvious that what they had been trying was not working, but during this time he had come up with a few new ideas to try. If intimidation wasn't working then perhaps offering the man a refuge from his friends would.

The team leader strolled back into the common room, intent on starting another tactical discussion with the other Titans, and almost walked back out.

Cyborg was sitting at the table, next to a very cuddly Jinx, and was grinning his head off.

"There is not enough alcohol in the world to deal with you two." The boy wonder groaned as he sat down across from the love birds.

"I don't know what you're talking about man, plus I figure this is kinda paybacks for the way you treated BB."

"I lost both girlfriends, everyone is practically flirting with Beast Boy, and your getting laid more than ever… haven't I suffered enough?"

"No"

Astonishingly enough it was the orange skinned princess who had answered the question as she walked into the room, otherwise ignoring her former boyfriend.

"You two have a fight?"

"Robin has made his priorities quite clear so I am merely respecting of the wishes."

"You go girl." The pinkette applauded, earning another groan from the gel haired wonder.

"Did I miss something?" Raven inquired, as she fazed through the door.

"Hey Raven, looks like we are all here but BB, you want me to give him a call and have him come down?"

"Actually I was thinking that maybe…." Robin had started to form one of his old school plans, which often left the changeling out of the situation, but quickly changed his mind at the four way glare he was now receiving.

"That maybe…. We should go find him instead, that way he doesn't have to waste his time and effort walking up here."

"Good call bird boy." Jinx nodded, before the team started walking towards the door, only to be interrupted by the green skinned man himself walking through it instead.

"Hey guys, wow finished already Cy? You must be losing your touch."

"Ha as if! If the lady is pleased it doesn't matter how long you go."

"Here here!" the cybernetic man's girlfriend chimed in with a grin.

"Not to be the mood killer here but shouldn't you be watching the prisoner Beast Boy?" Robin inquired, trying to get the team back on track.

"Nah he's fine, I was getting a bit hungry though, anyone up for a pizza?"

"Most joyful Beast Boy, perhaps we can get the chocolate syrup and the whip cream as well?"

"Oh my Starfire, I never pictured you as 'that kind of girl'." The changeling chuckled out, earning a smile from the Tamaranean.

"Oh yes I do enjoy the whip cream, it is quite delectable."

"Starfire Beast Boy doesn't mean on the pizza…." Robin attempted, before mentally berating himself for starting another innuendo explanation for the girl.

"Nor did I."

Beast Boy grinned, while the other Titan's jaws dropped, had Starfire just flirted with their green teammate?

"Uh….. right so how about we work on a strategy while we eat pizza…. **together**." The boy wonder compromised, putting as much emphasis on the last word as possible.

"I agree with Robin." Raven quickly added, unsure as to why she was so upset with the idea of Starfire and Beast Boy spending time together.

"No need Robin, I already got the information."

The Titans stared at their laid back teammate, as he walked to the container for the takeout pizza menus.

"What do you mean Beast Boy?" The empathy asked, feeling a strange sense of foreboding in her stomach.

"Exactly what I said, I already got the guy to tell us everything we would want to know. Apparently he was recruited by a cult that calls themselves 'The Heralds of Shaitan'. They taught him to inscribe the magical runes and eventual immortality for designing weapons for them as well as keeping us preoccupied. They are already located in Jump City and are recruiting slowly through the underworld. Their numbers are estimated to be around one hundred or so but they all follow the commands of their leader, who goes by the title 'Baphomet'. He never met the leader but only dealt with his commanders directly. He isn't sure exactly what their end goal is but it does involve demons in some form or another."

"That's… impressive Beast Boy, how did you get him to tell you all of that?" Robin inquired.

Beast Boy's expression turned serious for an instant, as he turned toward his leader, "Are you sure you want to know?"

Robin's eyes grew wide before narrowing a bit.

"Beast Boy… is he still alive?"

"Of course he is, but I wouldn't suggest putting him in jail in his current state, he wouldn't be able to defend himself if anyone decided to pick a fight."

 _***TRwP***_

"Remind me again why I am the one who has to do this?"

"Because Raven you are the expert on demonology, so it is either your or Jinx, and after Cyborg threatened to smash my head in if I let her go…. well I'm sorry but he scares me more than you do right now."

The empathy let out a groan as she glanced over the assembled information on the cult she would soon be infiltrating.

"I understand that but…"

"If it makes you feel any better I am putting you in charge of this operation, which means you are allowed to choose your backup. I don't want you going in there alone." Robin said, placing his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture.

Moments later the other Titans joined the two in the mission briefing room and took their seats.

"Alright Titans, as I just explained Raven is in charge of this plan, we need to infiltrate this cult and find out what their endgame is, and stop it before we run into any more magically powered super villains. I am allowing Raven to choose one person for her backup since this will be too dangerous to do solo."

The other Titans looked at the girl in question as Robin stepped back.

'I hate to say it but it will be nice to get out of the tower for a bit, Starfire has been acting a bit cold to me lately and it would be nice to have some alone time with Raven…' the masked boy confidently thought as he awaited Raven to announce him as the obvious choice.

"I choose Beast Boy."

Cyborg valiantly held in his laughter as Robin's arrogant smirk fell from his face. While Beast Boy just quirked his eyebrow in surprise.

"Perhaps Jinx would be the better for the backup, after all she also knows much about the magic does she not?" The orange skinned princess chimed in, hoping that Raven would change her mind and perhaps allow her to spend some time with the green hero, especially after how Robin had been acting.

"True, but we might need some more physical force rather than just mental abilities, plus Jinx would be hard pressed to defend herself without giving our identities away, no offense."

"None taken gives me more time with Vic."

"B-but why Beast Boy?" The once proud leader muttered out, sounding almost like he was whining.

"Beast Boy is the obvious choice for infiltration. He doesn't come off as a highly trained superhero or detective, he knows about demons and magic, at least enough to convince others, and he can adapt to any situation if need be. Plus his physical abilities can help him match Starfire."

The changeling just shrugged and nodded in acceptance.

"Alright well I'll get your holorings ready, I am curious though Rae, what was your plan for getting into their ranks?" The mechanical man inquired, and noticed the slight blush on the girl's face as she covered herself up with her hood.

"Since they are recruiting young people I figured it would be best to do something they wouldn't attribute with heroes or cops, so a romantic couple."

Robin nearly passed out.

***A/N***

The 'pear' device mentioned is called the 'Pear of Anguish'. Word of the wise, do not look this up if you are squeamish.

In order to keep the story rated 'T' I am not going to include the actual scenes from BB's little interrogation. If there are enough requests, for whatever reasoning, I will upload the scene elsewhere, along with any future 'Lemon' content that might be requested.

This was actually supposed to be a very short chapter, and include the actual cult themselves, but I got off on a bit of a tangent with the villain, who apparently I shall not name, and the various team interactions, overall though I think the chapter turned out well.

I hope everyone enjoyed reading my work I had a lot of fun making it.


	12. Wrath, Lust, Gluttony

**The Roles we Play**

Wrath, Lust, Gluttony

Thanks for everyone who has taken the time to read, review, follow, or favorite my story!

***I still don't own anything of the Teen Titans. ***

 _"Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean."_ – Maya Angelou

 _***TRwP***_

"Are you sure about this Rachel?"

"Yes Mark I am sure, Richard told us that this was where we would meet them after all."

"I know but still… doesn't it seem a bit, I don't know cliché?"

"What, the fact that we are sitting in the 'supernatural' section of the public library or that you are wearing a t-shirt with a pentagram on it?"

"Both"

The pale girl just rolled her eyes before continuing to read one of the large stack of books she had recently checked out on witchcraft, had to act the part right?

The two teenagers continued waiting for their recruiter, which Robin had assured them would make contact. It had been over a week since starting the assignment and Beast Boy had shown a remarkable amount of patience, until the fourth day of them sitting silently in a library rolled around.

"I should've brought a video game or something." The disguised boy muttered out as he took yet another walk around the area, glancing at the various literary titles.

Raven let out a silent sigh, true she was in her natural place with all the books she could want to read but even she admitted that it was beginning to get a bit tiresome waiting for a mysterious stranger who they were in contact with to finally show themselves.

It had been bad enough that they had to fully go undercover for this mission, crappy apartment and all.

Suddenly Raven picked up an approaching person with her empathy, and glanced up just enough to notice Beast Boy's slight twitch, a sign he willingly gave to show that he noticed as well.

"Reading anything interesting my beauty?" a smooth voice called out from behind the girl.

Raven had to mentally groan as she acted startled by the newcomer's presence.

"Why yes I am, I always preferred the works of Rasputin. A shame the library doesn't have any."

"Ah well it just so happens I have a novel or two of his back in my basement if you would like to stop by."

The girl nodded before 'Mark' walked around the corner, and gave the man his own coded greeting.

 _***TRwP***_

"So you two have shown interest in joining our group? Mind if I ask why?"

"We ran away from our small boring ass town a few years back and we saw your add on one of the darker parts of the net." Beast Boy replied, earning a smirk from his female companion.

"But why us?"

"Because I have always been interested in the darker parts of humanity and the supernatural, my boyfriend Mark here has always been a bit of a sadist so it just naturally fit."

"Ah very nice, well between your curiosity and his…. tendencies you should fit it quite well."

"I appreciate it…."

"Ah how rude of me, you may call me 'Berith' if you rise through the ranks of our little club maybe you too can get a nickname befitting of you."

"Berith, you mean the demon that tempts man to commit murder and violence?"

"Among other things yes very impressive Rachel."

"Like I said, I am curious about the darker side of the supernatural. That includes demonology."

"What about you Mark?"

The blonde haired boy merely chuckled darkly. "Let's just say you don't need to tempt me into violence."

The dark haired recruiter grinned before leading the two further through one of the nicer neighborhoods of Jump City until they reached a fairly large hotel.

"Home sweet home." The man remarked before swiping an electronic key card and opening the doors for the newest members.

Beast Boy whistled appreciatively at their surroundings. "Nice place you got here."

"Only the best for us, let's just say that our lord is very generous to those who walk his path."

"So when do we meet the others?" Raven inquired.

"Tonight, for now though I will show you to your room, you did bring everything you need correct?"

"As instructed on the email."

"Very good, right this way."

 _***TRwP***_

"Remember dinner begins at six thirty, please be present." The man commanded, before shutting the door behind him.

"I gotta say this is a heck of a lot nicer than our last place." Beast Boy complimented, before walking around the small hotel room.

"Only one bed…" Raven muttered, before they had selected a room with two in order to avoid any uncomfortable situations.

"Well we are lovers after all." The formerly green man called out from the bathroom in a joking tone.

"I suppose so…"

"Don't worry Rachel, I'll take the couch, it looks a lot more comfortable than the last bed anyway."

"You don't need to do that… we can figure out a schedule or…"

'Or just share the bed' Raven mentally finished, a bit saddened that she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.

"Nah that's okay, besides I am used to sleeping on just about every type of surface imaginable so I'll be fine."

"Uhm okay, well if you ever want to sleep on the bed just let me know."

"Will do Rachel."

 _***TRwP***_

"Welcome newcomers tonight is a special night, now that you have all been properly fed we will begin the initiation ceremony to determine which of you may join our prestigious group." Berith called out from the large basement that the group had assembled in.

Besides Beast Boy and Raven there were twenty others in the room, ranging from skinny nerdy looking teenagers to larger adults and everything in between.

The largest man there, standing at close to six foot eight, scoffed at the statement.

"Now then in order to make sure that we only have the best of the best we will be doing a trial of will. Each of you will be paired up against an opponent. The winner will be allowed to join us. Each of you will be permitted to walk out now with no repercussions so long as you never speak of any of this again. If you stay though, your lives will be in our hands."

After a minute of everyone staying where they were the man nodded before gesturing towards a small pit dug in the floor.

"The test will be single combat, everyone has been assigned a room number, when yours is called you will take part in your fight. All fights are to the death."

Several of those present looked around nervously. Sure the man had mentioned that their lives would be in the group's hands but the idea that half of them would be dead this evening was a bit unnerving.

"Let the fights begin!"

 _***TRwP***_

The first few battles had been drawn out and messy. Those participating often had no combat training or skills save for one or two who had taken martial arts.

That all ended when Beast Boy and Raven's number was read, prompting the boy to smirk and drop down into the pit against his opponent.

The man he was facing was covered in tattoos and grinned menacingly at the teenager he was participating against.

"Let's make this quick. I was promised power beyond compare and I intend to enjoy it as long as I can."

Beast Boy just grinned.

"Well that's a relief."

The others looked on, a bit confused at why this 'child' was taking his fight with a sociopath so casually.

"I was a bit concerned about having to fight a girl or something and feeling bad, but you… man this is just my lucky day. I have been feeling a bit stressed lately and haven't had time for sex in almost a month so luckily for me you are just the sort of type that I can take out some pent up aggression on."

Snarling the tattooed man lunged forward, throwing his fist towards the boy who dodged to the side with practiced ease.

With a near instantaneous follow up the blonde boy grabbed ahold of the man's arm in an unusual hold before breaking the bones with a sickening crack.

Raven just watched in horror as her teammate continued his offensive, kicking the side of the older man's knee, and promptly shattering it, before slamming the man's skull into the ground.

The formerly green hero stalked forward, ignoring the cries of pain and pleas from the downed man before placing his shoe on the man's throat, his opponent struggling to relieve the pressure with his only good arm but failing to do so.

Beast Boy glanced up, not at Raven but rather at their host, a questioning look in his eyes.

"As I said, to the death." The compassionless man announced, earning a nod from the still standing participant.

Bringing his foot up, the downed man gasped for breath at the relief, only to look on in shock as the teenager stomped down on his throat, killing him painfully.

 _***TRwP***_

The other matches continued on in a blur as Raven stared at the blood stain on the floor from her teammate's victory, her thoughts raging chaotically in her head.

"Wh-why would he do that? Why would sweet innocent…" Timid started, only to be interrupted by Rage.

"That man is neither of those two things and you know it, hell we all do. Beast Boy was trained to be a killer and he did his duty tonight just as well as anyone. He showed the man _exactly_ what he wanted to see."

"As disturbing as it was I would agree with our crimson cloaked counterpart. Beast Boy played the role he has been assigned disturbingly well, he looked up in permission, showed no signs of hesitation or weakness, and portrayed all the symptoms of a true sociopath. He is exactly what he said he would be in the cover story." Knowledge responded.

'Still… to take a life so needlessly.' Raven mentally mumbled out.

"I do not believe it was needless Raven, something in his eyes showed that he didn't have any regrets about what he did, and what he said at the start…. I think he knows more than he is letting on," Brave muttered back.

 _***TRwP***_

For the last match of the night, after the floor had been stained red with blood, Raven and Beast Boy's number was called again, along with the largest man thus present.

The towering giant gave a disgusting, lust filled grin before jumping down into the pit and awaited his, in his opinion, pathetic opponent.

"Rachel it is your turn." Berith called out, snapping the girl from her inner monologue.

She glanced down nervously before nodding, and was then stopped when a hand grasped her arm.

"I'll take this one."

She looked over, wide eyed, at 'Mark' as he jumped down into the ring for the second time.

"Excuse me Mark but you have already participated in…"

"Yeah I know, but don't blame me you were the one who made up your stupid rules. You said that we are grouped by our room number, thus making me and Rachel a single contestant. Plus the first guy you gave me was lamer than hell so I figure you owe me another fight."

The finely dressed man merely glared at the boy, before glancing up at his opponent who seemed a bit happier at the change of events.

"Very well, but do not complain when you come out worse for wear."

"Here's hoping" The boy grinned as he cracked his knuckles and prepared for his next round.

 _***TRwP***_

Hardly a moment had passed when the match was started before the larger man slammed his fist into the boy's face, throwing him into the side of the pit and following with a beat down that would have killed any of the other contestants.

Those present merely gawked at the beating that blonde was taking at the hands of the considerably larger and more experiences man.

With one final kick to the ribs the giant relented and took a victory stroll around the ring that is before he heard a chuckling from behind him.

Spinning around he only stared in shock as the boy stood back up, a bit wobbly and covered in bruises in blood but still managing to stand.

"Not bad kid, but you should just stay down I will finish you off quick in just a second."

"As interesting as a handicap as that might be I am a bit disappointed with you. If I had known your fists were so soft then I would have just let Rachel kick your ass and not wasted my time."

Letting out a deep growl the man charged forward, intending on breaking his opponent once and for all.

Only to find a fist smashed into his face.

Staggering backwards the towering giant barely had time to note how it had felt like being hit with a brick rather than a fist, before another blow to his chest cracked several ribs, and sent him stumbling backwards to the opposite side of the area, gripping the wall for support.

The rest of the 'fight' was just as one sided as the start had been. 'Mark' had proceeded to break nearly every bone in the man's body, all with a sick grin on his face, before snapping the man's neck with his bare hands.

"well I suppose that does clear up who the best fighter is…" the host muttered, as the blonde teen climbed out of the pit, his hands covered in the blood of his opponent.

 _***TRwP***_

"How could you do that…." Raven muttered out quietly, after the two had returned to their shared room and Beast Boy had deactivated the holoring for a moment, showing that his bruises and injuries had all been programmed in.

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? WHAT DO I MEAN!? YOU KILLED TWO PEOPLE TONIGHT BEAST BOY WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"

The boy glanced back at his teammate, an unconcerned look in his eyes.

"What did you think was going to happen Raven? That 'fight to the death' meant 'hug and give each other a friendly handshake then leave on pleasant terms'? The entire test was to see if we could take a life, obviously you can't without giving yourself away."

"NO I WON'T BECAUSE IT IS WRONG!"

"People will kill each other whether you think it is wrong or not, what was your plan for your fight Raven? Knock the guy out and just hope that an exception would be made for you? We are on a mission to infiltrate them, if I hadn't done that then we would be where we started off, except that it would have been even harder to get in next time."

"YOU CHOSE TO KILL THEM, YOU MURDRED THEM BEAST BOY!"

"They deserved worse."

"HOW DO YOU KNOW, HOW COULD YOU KNOW?"

"Because I recognized them both."

That statement brought the furious girl to a halt.

"Wh-what do you mean?" She asked, her voice becoming far softer and calmer as she felt the adrenaline wearing off.

"I recognized those two from wanted posters, the first guy was a known cult leader and serial killer, the guy got off and doing terrible things to young impressionable teenagers. The second was a mercenary for drug dealers and terrorists. Last known working for the Columbian Cartel, he was very enthusiastic about his job and was known for helping to exterminate an entire village for his boss."

"What the hell were they doing here?"

"Well the first guy claimed he was promised power or something, so maybe word about these guys recruiting has been spread around? I don't remember Robin saying anything about it but he might not have known to check."

"We will have to ask him next time we can…. Beast Boy I…"

The green teenager merely shook his head. "Don't worry about it, you were right anyway. I am a murderer and worse, but those guys earned it and if you expect me to feel bad about killing them, you are going to be very disappointed." The boy remarked, before leaving the room to take a shower.

 _***TRwP***_

Raven was at a complete loss for words, even her inner clones were silent as she bore witness to the sight in front of her.

Beast Boy, clad only with a towel around his waist, was going through the dresser as he searched for something to wear.

Meanwhile the empath openly drooled. All the fantasizing that had been done by her emotions, all the talk and imagery, none of it came close to the real thing.

The boy put the term 'Greek God' to shame in every manner of the term.

His skin was perfectly sculpted, muscles tight underneath the skin. His abs looked like they had been chiseled from granite and his arms and legs appeared strong enough to crack stone should he desire to.

Never in her wildest dreams did Raven believe anyone could look so perfect.

The boy halted before glancing over at the girl, still seated on the sole bed.

"Are you okay Raven?"

"Wha? Huh?"

"Do you need me to leave? Give you some alone time?"

"What do you…"

"Enhanced sense of smell Raven, your hormones are going crazy over there."

"Oh uh…" Raven developed a deep blush and cursed the fact that she no longer had a hood to hide under.

"N-no I'm okay, maybe just a shower when you are done?"

The changeling nodded before heading back towards the bathroom to change.

"Hey uh Beast Boy?"

He halted at the doorway before glancing back at her, his eyes staring deep into her own.

"Yeah?"

"S-since you had two f-fights today ummm maybe you should sleep in the bed tonight…. you know to help recover and such."

"I wouldn't want you sleeping on the couch Raven, we don't know what might happen tomorrow."

A plan suddenly appeared in her mind, no doubt one of her emoticlones suggestions.

"Exactly!" She started a bit hastily, before forcing herself to calm down, "Then we should both be at our full strength. The bed is large enough for two of us after all."

A strange look appeared in the boy's eyes as he turned and slowly walked towards his companion, each step intentionally drawn out in an almost seductive manner.

"Raven…. Would you rather I change in here? Or maybe just not get dressed at all?" He spoke out in a deep husky voice as he came to a halt less than a foot from the poor hyperventilating girl.

"I-I…"

"I do enjoy sleeping with nothing on you know…."

Raven's mind began shutting down at the teen's statement, his tone deep enough that it practically oozed sex.

 _***TRwP***_

"OH GOOD GOD IN HEAVEN GIRL RIP THAT TOWEL OFF HIM AND THROW HIM DOWN ONTO THE BED!" Brave practically screamed at the sky.

"SCREW THAT NOISE JUST USE THE FLOOR!" Rage countered, while the others could only stare on in fascination at the scene before them.

 _***TRwP***_

"But Raven…. If that happens, if we sleep in the same bed together…." The man began, his voice taking on somewhat of a sadder and almost disappointed tone. "I don't think I would be able to keep my hands off you… and I think we both know where your heart truly belongs."

Raven froze, wide eyed as the boy took a step back, a look of regret in his eyes, before he turned and walked back to their shared bathroom.

 _***TRwP***_

After a very long and very cold shower Raven wrapped herself in a towel and began going through her bag of street clothing.

"What do you think you're doing girl?" Affection inquired.

'What does it look like? I'm getting dressed then going to bed after a large amount of meditation.'

"Oh hell no you aren't! We all know that the freezing shower you just took did nothing to quell the fire running through that blood of yours. Face it Raven, violence and aggression are turn-ons for us. Blame the demon half if you want but you can't deny that we always enjoyed being with Robin and Starfire after a particularly difficult battle more than just those rainy days where nothing happened."

'So what's your point?'

"Her point is, maybe we should show Beast Boy we are serious about this? Remember what Robin always said?" Rage inquired, earning a slight smirk from her green clad sister.

'But what if Beast Boy is right? What if this is just a rebound type of situation and we end up damaging our already fragile relationship with him. What if we are doing this just because we haven't had much private time lately? Or what if he isn't even attracted to us?'

"Or maybe this is something real that will go on to something beautiful. Maybe you two just need to get that first connection going?" Knowledge countered.

'I guess so. Alright let's see what happens.'

 _***TRwP***_

This time it was Beast Boy's turn to be confused, as his partner walked out of their room and straight towards him, with a full length towel wrapped around her curvy form.

"Did you forget something Raven?"

"Actually yes I did, I forgot that earlier on today you saved me. You were right after all Beast Boy, I wouldn't have been able to defeat that man without using my powers and blowing our cover, so not only did you protect me but you saved the mission as well."

The, currently blonde, boy shrugged, but kept his eyes on her the entire time.

"Just doing my job."

"Oh I think it was more than that, and I would like to repay you for it like is customary."

This time the changeling's eyebrow quirked up, clearly confused about her choice in words.

"What do you mean…"

He was cutoff though as the empath dropped her towel, displaying her completely nude body.

His eyes widened, allowing the girl to smirk in triumph, so much for him not being attracted to her.

"How do you want me? Or would you rather me just give you my thanks instead?"

"R-Raven what are…."

"I told you Beast Boy, I am repaying the favor, as is expected when someone is saved."

Whatever she said triggered something that Raven didn't expect though, a rage in the young boy's eyes.

"Who told you that?" He inquired, standing up and staring directly into the empath's eyes.

"What?"

The mood was shattered, had she done something wrong? This was always how Robin said to act when he had protected her.

"Who. Told. You. That?"

"T-told me what?"

"That you owed someone sex for being saved?"

"I-It's an Earth custom isn't it? Robin…."

Beast Boy put his hand through the wall.

"THAT PIECE OF!"

"Beast Boy, what is it? Did I do something wrong?"

Taking a calming breath the boy slowly walked to his bag and began shuffling through it.

"No Raven you didn't don't worry it's nothing you did, I just need to get in contact with Cyborg about something real quick. I'll be back in a few hours okay? If anyone asks just tell them I got bored and went to smash someone's face in. It's the truth anyway." The green skinned boy muttered out the last part before activating a burner phone they had been given and left the room, leaving a confused girl behind.

 _***TRwP***_

"Beast Boy this is dangerous and irresponsible even for you. What do you need that is so urgent that it couldn't wait until after your assignment?" Robin questioned, as he rubbed his forehead to try and relax some of the tension away.

"It's about Raven."

The two boys perked up and gave the changeling questioning looks, urging him to continue.

"Is everything alright?" Cyborg whispered out, fearing that something had happened to his little sister.

"No, which is why I have brought you two here. There are some issues that have recently surfaced."

"What kind of 'issues', anything that would jeopardize the mission?" Robin immediately asked.

Cyborg glared at his leader for a second, it was one thing to take missions seriously, it was quite another to believe that everything revolved around the job.

"I highly doubt it would endanger the mission, however it has revealed a few disturbing facts."

"Something making you uncomfortable BB?"

"Yes Cy it is, for some reason Raven has the notion in her head that it is customary to repay someone for saving your life…. with sexual favors."

The air grew quiet as the two men processed what had been said, before Cyborg slowly turned to the shortest of the three heroes.

"Oh Robin…."

"I NEVER TOLD HER THAT!"

"Strange because she was under the impression you had. Add into the fact that you three often had your 'heated exchanges' right after missions and well, it raises some questions."

"You have thirty seconds to explain yourself before I turn you into overly hair gelled paste." The dark skinned man growled out.

The boy wonder let out a sigh before beginning his explanation.

"When Starfire first approached me about 'helping' Raven I was skeptical. I mean I was attracted to her sure but I never really thought of her as someone who would be interested in this sort of this. At first I was right, Raven was painfully shy and her knowledge on sex sounded like it came from a children's book. In order to help her relax, and not blow up the Tower, I worked on a 'roleplaying' situation involving what she just told you, and it worked. Raven became far more comfortable not only with her own body but just being with others. She became more outgoing and sociable, her teamwork skills improved. Overall it was an incredible success. But that notion of 'repaying' was just a game, a fantasy and I thought she knew that. Apparently I hadn't made it clear enough that it was nothing to be taken literally in that fashion."

The two remaining teens glanced at each other before taking a few steps away to discuss things in private, leaving the detective to sweat uncomfortably.

 _***TRwP***_

"What do you think man? I had my scanners on him and it didn't detect anything that an advanced lie detector would pick up."

"I agree, he didn't seem like he was lying and I want to believe him but… this is too serious not to look into."

"So what do we do?"

The grin that formed on the changeling's face had Cyborg regretting his choice of words.

 _***TRwP***_

"Alright Robin we believe you, but just in case we are going to give you one more chance to change your story. After this Cyborg and I are going to talk with Starfire and Raven privately to confirm what you said."

"And so help me bird boy that if anything doesn't match up…. actually we won't be doing anything, except informing the girls of the entire situation. I'm sure Jinx would love to hear about how you conned her sister into sex. As for Starfire, I wouldn't want her finding out such things."

Robin paled, before replying with a shaky response.

"E-everything I said w-was true, j-just ask them!"

"Oh we will Robin, we will."

 _***TRwP***_

"Is everything okay Beast Boy? I didn't mean to offend you…"

"No Raven everything is fine, there was just some confusion between Cyborg, Robin, and myself but we can clear it up after the mission. Listen I just want you to know that you are never under any kind of obligation to have sexual relations of any kind with anyone, even if they save your life."

"Oh… I thought that…"

"Yeah I guess Robin misspoke or something, you know how he gets sometimes, it's perfectly understandable."

"I see… Beast Boy, what you said earlier…" The empath began, earning a confused look from the boy, "You implied that my heart belonged somewhere else."

"Oh, yeah well you know, it's kind of hard to ignore the way that you and Starfire are around Robin."

"Not anymore… not like that."

"What do you mean, I know you three had a bit of a breakup but, I guess I figured you would sort it out."

"The last year or so has shown Robin in a new light and I just don't think it would have worked out, how often do three way relationships not fall apart?"

"Only in cheesy smut books."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, never mind, what about just you and Robin though? You two always seemed to be fairly close, even without the more physical aspects."

"He was always more interested in Starfire than me, even during our 'sessions'. I thought that there was something more but now I am not so sure. Besides with the way he has been acting lately I don't think we would be dating much right now anyways."

"Ah, the whole 'stick up his ass' thing getting a bit old?"

"More than a bit and I would say it's more like a tree branch."

The green teen just laughed.

"So what are you planning on doing now Raven? I heard Cyborg is quite the 'love machine'."

Raven chuckled, while grimacing at the image of her 'older brother' having sex.

"I think I will pass on that one, plus now that the situation is reversed I can see how bad it is when you are on the outside of that type of activity. I have been feeling a bit worked up though so maybe I will look for something a bit less serious, someone a bit more relaxed and fun." The pale girl's eyes strayed over to her companion, and lingered on his physique while he remained oblivious.

"I always said you needed to relax a bit Raven maybe this will be good for you. You know get out and meet new people, have fun, socialize. But just remember if anyone approaches you about joining a cult that worships an ancient demon… just say no." The boy added with a smirk.

 _***TRwP***_

The following morning found the initiates to the cult gathered in the dining hall and awaiting instructions.

A voice called out through the large room as Berith strolled in with a yet unidentified man.

"Congratulations on your success thus far." The second person called out, as he reached the head of the dining table and sat down.

"It looks as though you are all full of curiosity as I hoped, well wonder no longer. My name is Abaddon and I would like to welcome you all to The Heralds of Shaitan. As our newest members you will be put into three teams and given one assignment each, assignments that will test the depth of your skills and teamwork. Only those who can accomplish their tasks will be allowed to progress in our ranks." The newest man finished before sitting back and gazing at the recruits.

"You heard the man… get to it." Berith remarked, before a dark smirk formed on his face.

***A/N***

Before anyone gets too upset, or calls for Robin's head on a pike, he actually is NOT a bad guy in this story, I just keep targeting him because…. Well I'm the writer so I can, also Karma's a fickle bitch and I feel like Robin has had it too good for too long.

I actually half debated putting Beast Boy and Raven in an intimate situation, but it felt a bit too soon. Maybe next chapter if people are rooting for it.

As always I hope you all enjoyed reading the chapter!


	13. Envy, Greed, Sloth

**The Roles we Play**

Envy, Greed, Sloth

Special thanks to all my beautiful readers.

***I do not own any part of the Teen Titans, otherwise there would have been way more BBxRae. ***

 _"Jealousy is the fear or apprehension of superiority: envy our uneasiness under it."_ – William Shenstone

 _***TRwP***_

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

'Rachel' let out a sigh, for the fifth time this evening, "Yes Amy I am sure. This is the only location within fifty miles of the city that holds artifacts older than the American Revolution."

"Okay but are we sure it's going to be here?" The man identified as 'Tommy' inquired, earning another sigh from the disguised empathy.

"Well unless you have a lead on a private collector that recently came into possession of pre-Renaissance dagger then yes I am."

"But what about…"

"Would you two shut the hell up?!" 'Mark' hissed out, silencing the two that had been paired up with him and Rachel for their mission. Personally he would have much rather it just been the two of them but their hosts had insisted that the next portion of their tests be team exercises.

Moments later a security guard came into view, sweeping the empty courtyard with a flashlight before shrugging and walking off to continue his rounds.

"That was close." Tommy breathed out in relief, earning glares from the two experienced members.

"Maybe if you two would keep quiet it wouldn't have been. This is an infiltration mission so that means stealth." Rachel remarked, earning nods from the other two members.

"We have a five minute window to get across the open area and into the second floor window before the patrol reaches us again. That means you either keep up or stay behind. If you are with us then there is no talking once we step onto that lawn." Mark commented with a fierce glare, earning gulps from the two civilians. They had seen what the young man could do when angered and had no intention of being his next targets.

"We are with you, but uh… how are we getting up to the second story without a ladder?" Amy questioned.

"How in the world did you even make it through your fight?" Mark grumbled out, before producing a mountain climbing rope from his small backpack.

"Mark goes up first and secures the room, afterwards anyone who can't make it up on their own will climb up that." The goth informed, earning nods from the other two.

"I think I can probably scale it alone, but I might push the time a bit." Tommy replied.

"I…."

"You are using the rope." The changeling finished the sentence for the poor girl, earning a shy muttering of an apology.

"There is nothing to apologize for, just keep up and stay silent." Rachel finished just as the patrol entered the clearing once more.

 _***TRwP***_

A few moments passed before the guard left, earning a nod from the formerly green teen, who immediately shot across the field at near impossible speeds, earning shocked looks from the two normal recruits as Rachel ran after him.

Just as he reached the wall the blond haired boy leapt onto the ground floor window ledge, before pushing himself off to a nearby pillar and continued his acrobatic display until he reached the second floor a moment later, soundlessly entering the top window.

'What the hell is that guy made of!?' Tommy mentally swore as he finally reached the wall a few seconds later and began his slow climb up, following Rachel who had nearly reached the second floor with her own climbing skills as well.

A few seconds passed until a rope silently dropped down and the last of the four person squad used it to start her slow ascent.

As Rachel entered the room she glanced around before spotting her roommate effortlessly holding one end of the rope, which was wrapped securely around his arm.

A silent nod told her that the room was clear and she made her way to the only visible door, before glancing through the small key hole, revealing an empty hallway beyond.

Ensuring it was clear the girl then pulled out the floor plan she had downloaded of the museum before making a note of the best route down to the basement storage area where the book was certain to be kept before put onto display.

Two minutes later the other two members of their team came crawling through the window, both slightly out of breath as the girl glanced over toward her teammate with a slight blush.

Amy had seemed nice enough during their introductions but it had quickly become obvious that the girl was interested in the changeling as more than just teammates.

Raven scowled, and held in some rather nasty comments that she felt her emoticlones direct toward the girl.

Luckily the remaining boy did not seem physically interested in either of the two girls on the team.

 _***TRwP***_

Rachel traced their intended path silently on the blueprint, before making eye contact with both of her 'normal' teammates, ensuring that they understood the intended plan. Both nodded before they looked to the remaining member, and found him already through the door and moving silently towards their destination.

'God he's so hot, the way he walks is just… Hopefully Rachel and Mark are just friends or maybe brother and sister, he's waaaaay too good looking for her.' The redhead mused as she followed the gothic girl in front of her.

Upon reaching the next 'T' junction the group stopped as the combat expert of the four glanced down each hallway and continued on their set course.

 _***TRwP***_

The mission had gone so well, the four members had reached their destination, and identified the artifact easily enough.

Tommy had finally proven his usefulness when he was able to easily bypass the electronic security system monitoring the room, allowing Amy to use her lock picking skills to get around any physical security placed on their target.

It was nearly a perfect mission…. until the overly clumsy, again how he had ever managed to win his fight was beyond Beast Boy, Tommy tripped and knocked down a large suit of armor, alerting the entire facility to their presence.

Beast Boy swore silently as he crouched around a corner and ambushed the first guard who turned the corner.

After the man had been disabled the blond glanced back at their 'navigator' to see her changing the intended escape route in her head.

With a few practiced hand signs the plan was explained to the teenager who nodded and began leading the other three upwards towards the roof, and thus encountered far fewer guards.

Not that it mattered with the blond's combat skills.

Even when a group of three had stumbled upon them at the same time he had instantly reacted, disabling them without taking so much as a glancing blow.

 _***TRwP***_

Finally the four made it to the roof, where Mark had already tied the rope around his arm, and moved to the side of the building, gesturing for the remaining three to shimmy down to the grounds below.

"There are even more guards down there!" The second boy exclaimed, ignoring the command of being silent.

"Get going moron." Rachel commanded, as the boy reluctantly began his slow departure down.

About half way he heard a loud crash from the roof, before noticing the guards on that floor running towards the top of the building.

So it was a distraction, clever. Hopefully they would be on the ground before the guards could reach the scene, or disrupt whatever Mark had planned for his escape.

 _***TRwP***_

The three made it down just as the other end of the rope was loosened and thrown as well.

"Go" Rachel whispered, before sprinting towards the nearby gate which served as the vehicle entrance.

Luckily the guard house was empty due to the ruckus from the roof so that opening it was easy enough.

"What about Mark!?" Amy exclaimed, worried for their fellow teammate, and her newfound crush.

"Don't worry about him, he will be fine."

"But…"

"Get moving!"

The girl reluctantly obeyed as the three made their way across the street and into the car hidden beneath a mound of trash, much to Tommy's dismay since it had been his vehicle chosen for the getaway.

"Should we wait or…"

"I said go!"

"Alright, Alright." The boy exclaimed before shifting gears and taking off towards their sanctuary.

 _***TRwP***_

"We need to go back for him!"

"He will be fine, plus the area will be locked down by now. If we try and go back with a car we will be caught for sure."

"Who cares!? Listen I don't know what your relationship with him is Rachel but I am not leaving Mark to fend for himself!"

"Uh you do realize that you already did leave right?"

"Shut it Tommy!"

"Listen Amy, I don't care if you have a crush on him or whatever temporary infatuation with him might be. The fact of the matter is that he does not need our help to get away from a couple of security guards and Jump City's police. All we would be doing is causing him more problems so just stay here and wait like I am."

"Oh? Then what is your relationship with him huh? You two lovers or something? Cause I see the way your stare at him just as much as I do, the only difference is I seem to be showing a hell of a lot more concern about his well being than you are. Maybe I will be the one he should be sleeping with tonight."

"Enough! If you are so damn determined to get yourself caught then go right ahead and try and find him. But odds are you will fail. He has already escaped the premises by now and there is no way some pickpocket is going to find him on the dark streets of Jump City, unless he _wants_ to be found."

"Listen I am not saying we go looking for him but how can you be so sure that he has gotten out of there?"

"Because Tommy he has gotten out of far worse than that. I have learned to trust him completely over the years and the few times I didn't I ended up embarrassing myself. Give him two hours tops and he will be back."

 _***TRwP***_

Sure enough an hour later the blond haired Casanova strolled through the front doors of the hotel, a smug smile on his face.

"Mark you made it!" The overly joyful Amy exclaimed before throwing herself into a hug around the teen.

"Of course, was there any doubt in your mind?"

The girl quickly shook her head, blushing as she continued holding onto her crush.

"Of course not!"

Rachel just rolled her eyes before she approached the two with their remaining teammate.

"So did we pass?"

"Was there any doubt in your mind?" Rachel countered, using the boy's own confidence against him.

Mark just smirked.

 _***TRwP***_

"So I gotta ask man, how the hell did you get outa there?"

The disguised changeling just shrugged as he took another bite of their celebratory pizza as the four man team relaxed in one of the common rooms.

"Let's just say that they will need to hire some more guards tomorrow, the ones I went through will probably be on medical leave for a few weeks."

"No fatalities though?"

"Of course not Rachel. You were the one who gave that instruction remember? Killing just draws unnecessary attention like you said."

"That I did, I just wanted to ensure that you didn't get caught up in the moment and decide to release some of those pent up frustrations that you keep mentioning."

"Well if he still has anything 'pent up' I can certainly help him relieve those frustrations." The redhead cooed as she slid a bit closer to the blond, her hand finding its way to his upper leg, just as an irritated frown found its way to Rachel's face.

"I can assure you that I can handle any 'relief' that he might need." The goth asserted, as the two girls locked glares from across the table.

"Lucky bastard…" Tommy muttered out, earning a silent sigh from the teen trapped in the middle.

 _***TRwP***_

A soft knocking at the two Titan's shared door earned a hesitant answer by Raven before opening it slightly, and glaring at the redhead standing in front of it.

"What do you want?"

"I was here to see if Mark wanted to spend some time together."

"It's almost curfew and he is in the shower, so no."

"Oh? Well maybe he wouldn't mind if I joined him."

"I would mind, now take a hike. Go find someone else to throw yourself at. Mark is spoken for."

"So you and he are…"

"In a relationship yes, why do you think we share a room?"

"So when was the last time you…."

"None of your damn business now go find someone else to pester."

Rachel proceeded to slam the door in Amy's face, before pacing in the room for a few moments, her eyes glancing over towards the bathroom door every few steps.

'Maybe he wouldn't mind if I went in and brushed my teeth, I mean the shower has a door and all so it's not like I will see anything…'

"Too bad, imagine him soaking wet, water running down his chest towards…." Affection purred in the empath's mind before being cut off.

"I don't need any more images thank you very much." The girl mumbled before taking a deep breath and slowly opening the door to their shared bathroom.

As she assumed the shower door was in fact closed, showing only his silhouette behind it while steam poured out from the top.

"Aw poo, why can't he just shower with the door open, which actually gives me a good idea. Maybe next time you should try it and see if he will get another eyeful when he comes in…" Brave was the culprit this time, and Raven was forced to put another lock between her and the emoticlones fantasies.

The half demon managed to take two more steps towards the shower, reaching out towards the door handle before her confidence crumbled and she turned towards the sink and began to brush her teeth quickly and efficiently, hoping to avoid any more awkwardness than what she had already created.

Unfortunately for her it was when she had just finished and turned to leave that the shower stopped, and the door to the enclosed area opened, allowing for a green hand to reach out blindly looking for the towel that was stored nearby.

Raven didn't know how it happened, whether it was an unconscious effort by her part, an act of control by the emoticlones, or maybe just a silent wish taking shape. Whatever it was caused the object the boy had been reaching for to be thrown across the room.

"Hey uh Raven, do you think you can hand me a towel?"

He knew she was there? But how… of course, enhanced senses. Raven dug deep into her willpower to avoid smacking herself in the head for thinking she could sneak up on him.

"Yeah let me just…"

As she walked over a thought popped into her mind, or was planted there by who knows which of the colored clones.

'Maybe a little white lie wouldn't hurt? The towel did fall on the floor after all, it might be better to just say that it's soaked or dirty….'

"Sorry Beast Boy but it fell onto the floor, I doubt a soaking wet towel will help you much."

"Ah well, guess I'll just grab one from the other room then."

"I can…"

Before she finished all mental processed stopped as the door completely opened and a fully nude green skinned man walked towards the cabinet with the extra showering supplied.

She continued staring, soaking every glorious inch of him in, and for once the emoticlones were silent as well, presumably just as dumbstruck as she was.

'If Robin was above average then….'

"That boy is going to tear us apart." Rage drooled as she struggled to recover and force her container to make some kind of action.

"Enjoying the show Rae?"

The change in her name brought the girl back to reality, and forced her to focus on his face, trying not to glance down over his body every second.

"I… uh…. um… wha?"

"You know you didn't need to lie or throw the towel around, if you wanted to see, all you had to do was ask. You gave me a show I figured it's only fair if you were allowed the same."

"But you…. And I…. and how…. You knew?"

"Well yeah Rae I mean come on, it just happened to fall into the one puddle on the floor? Like I said if you wanted to see…" The boy took a step forward, a towel in his hand but being held limply at his side. "All you had to do was ask…" He spoke out in a deep husky voice.

The girl gulped, he was so close to her now. Easily within arm's length, she could reach out and touch whatever she wanted, the look in his eye at this moment told her that he wouldn't pull away, all she had to do was say what she wanted, to take that final step and complete what he had subtly began.

"Hey Rachel and Mark, you guys in there? There is a meeting being called in ten minutes so hurry up and get ready." Tommy shouted before heading off to the meeting himself.

Raven swore quietly, as her green counterpart sighed and went to continue getting ready.

"Another opportunity come and gone, nice job Raven." The girl muttered before following her teammate to get ready.

 _***TRwP***_

"félicitations pour votre succès jusqu'à présent. Je ne peux qu'espérer que vous allez continuer à avoir une telle chance et d'habileté dans l'avenir."*

Upon seeing the blank expressions of those in the room the newest man smiled before his next statement was interrupted by a heavily accented reply.

"Il est impoli de parler dans une langue que personne ne comprend d'autre."**

Raven stared wide eyed at her teammate, who merely glared back at the original announcer.

"Ah there is another who speaks French here, how interesting. What I said was a brief congratulations and wishing all of you the best of luck now that you are past the stage of initiates and have proven yourselves worthy of standing with our other members in preparation for the new coming."

"So does that mean we are going to be included in the plans now? No more running errands or fighting for our lives?" One of the other members called out, in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Ah yes yes I suppose we should let you know what is going on. The 'errands' that you are so upset about were part of the ritual that we will be partaking in, three nights from now."

"What kind of ritual?" Another girl inquired.

"The type of ritual that will change the world, we intend to summon an all-powerful demon into this world, and once he claims it as his own we shall sit at his side, as his followers, the true followers of Shaitan."

"Is anything else needed for the ritual then?" Mark asked.

"Only a few more minor ingredients, but nothing that is difficult to find when given time, do not concern yourselves about this further. We are having the higher ups take care of the last few pieces of the puzzle, so now all that you need to do is sit back and wait to enjoy the fruits of your labor and dedication."

The gathered members nodded before being dismissed to continue with whatever they had been doing before.

"Hey Mark what are you up to the rest of the night?" Amy inquired, batting her eyelashes at the boy.

"Uh it's getting a bit late and with all the running around I did today I'll probably just hit the sack early, why?"

"Oh just curious… if you ever want to talk or something my door is always open."

"I appreciate that thanks."

"Anytime."

Raven glared at the redhead before following her roommate back to their personal sanctuary.

 _***TRwP***_

"So, what do you think we should do next…. Luke?"

Beast Boy froze for a moment after the accusation, and turned around with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Figured it out eh?"

"Not until tonight, I can honestly say that you have quite the unique accent."

"Yeah it comes from the upbringing."

The room fell into silence before Raven interrupted it with a whisper.

"Why?"

"Why did I keep it from you?"

"That and why didn't you tell me at the time? Why didn't you come back to us?"

"Do you know what it's like Raven, to have the potential of being completely free, to be able to wander the earth and survive off of nothing but nature and soar amongst the clouds, to swim in the deepest oceans and run across the widest plains? It is indescribable. I haven't felt that in a very long time. Before I joined the Titans I was with The Doom Patrol and always in a military environment. Rules about everything, regulations, and training…. it all just became too much. Then I found you guys, and it was relaxed and peaceful, I was so much freer but I still had friends. Eventually though it started to change back to what my previous team was like and well I had to escape for a little while. To feel the wind on my face and lose the responsibilities and the negativity that held me back."

"You know how much it hurt us when you weren't there, we barely slept."

"I didn't until after we spoke, then I started to make my way back. At the time I didn't know how to deal with you Rae, you were so angry and aggressive towards me, so uncaring."

"You know that isn't true."

"Can you really stand there and say that to me? That you truly believe that the relationship amongst the Titans was perfectly fine the way it was before the bank?"

Raven couldn't.

"Are things better now?" The girl once again whispered in curiosity, suddenly unsure if she wanted an answer or not.

"Yes and no. Yes because it is so much more relaxed than before, the stress that permeated through the tower has been toned down so much that I can finally sleep again. But no because…. now different people are unhappy."

Raven brought her attention up from the floor and looked at the boy wide eyed.

"What do you mean? Who is unhappy?"

"Come on Rae, with all that empathy you have and you can't tell when you are unhappy with your life?"

"It's okay, I think I earned a little bit of unhappiness."

The boy growled, before grabbing the girl by her shoulders, startling her slightly.

"Don't say that, you deserve to be happy Rae, you more than anyone else have been dealt an unfair hand. That was one of the reasons I never tried to interrupt your arrangement with Robin, I thought it was making you happier. I thought that if I disappeared for a month or two that you would be even happier without me around."

"Maybe I thought the same, but I was wrong Beast Boy… I've realized that I can't be happy unless we are all together, that I can't be truly happy without you."

The two stared into each other's eyes, before Bravery finally kicked in full force and Raven was able to close the distance, pushing her lips up against the changeling's own.

A second later she broke the kiss and took a step back, searching his face for any signs of a reaction.

She got one when he moved to her lips in the blink of an eye, returning the kiss with more passion then the empath had ever felt before.

Her arms found their way around his neck as she gently stepped back and pulled him down with her onto the bed, their lips never leaving each other's.

Finally she was forced to take a breath allowing the boy to plant soft kisses up and down her neck, earning a quiet moan of approval.

"Rae…. We shouldn't…"

"Don't stop… please… I need this… I need you."

He didn't stop for the remainder of the night.

 _***TRwP***_

Robin let out a sigh of aggravation as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to force away his growing headache and gain some sort of insight as to what to do next.

"This is the ninth kidnapping in the last two days…. Robin what are we going to do about this?"

"I don't know any more Cyborg. No signs of a struggle, no blood, no forensics. It's like they just vanished."

"Uh guys, I think we have a problem."

"Great, what now?" The boy wonder asked as he turned towards the pinkette.

"There is residual magic all over this place, dark magic."

"Have we heard anything from Raven or Beast Boy?" Starfire whispered out from nearby.

"Not since his last inquiry no, but if they are escalating their plans then it will be harder to get a message out in secret."

"I don't like it Rob, we need to get in contact with them, and they might be in trouble."

"I agree, alright text Raven the meeting code word and set it up for tonight at meeting point Charlie."

The Cybernetic teen nodded in agreement before hitting a few buttons on his wrist comlink.

 _***TRwP***_

"Good morning"

"Mmmmhmm"

"Here I thought that you were the one with the expansive vocabulary Rae."

The girl just gave a fake pout towards the man currently sharing her bed.

"That was…. incredible Beast Boy."

The changeling gave a cocky smile, all the while tracing invisible patterns on his partner's nude back.

"So you weren't disappointed then?"

The laugh that filled the air was music to the boy's ears.

"Not at all. I didn't think that sex could be so…. amazing."

 _***TRwP***_

'Not to mention that he blew bird boy out of the water, who the hell know that he could use his mouth like that?' Brave replied, still in a post sex state of relaxation.

'Not to mention his claws, remember when he…' Rage muttered out.

'I must admit that I am quite impressed with Beast Boy's performance. His stamina was exceptionally high, his refractory period was staggeringly low compared to Robin, and what we have researched. His physical size was well….'

'He makes the phrase 'hung like a horse' seem inadequate.' Rude interrupted, after releasing a satisfied belch.

Timid and Affection just basked in the sunlight nearby in silence, enjoying the raw emotions that should have followed such activities from the start.

 _***TRwP***_

"So…. what does this mean for us then?"

"I… I don't know Beast Boy." The empath replied, as she slowly got up and pulled on a bathrobe, ignoring the pleasantly sore areas covering her body.

"I think until we figure out what is going on though we should keep this between us. There's no reason to involve the others in our personal lives."

"Agreed, plus you know I can keep a secret."

Raven halted for a moment, before glancing back with a sad expression in her eyes.

"Beast Boy…. You know that you can talk to me about anything right? You don't have to keep secrets from us. I know I am not the best person to be lecturing you on this but."

"Yeah I know Rae and I am trying to open up more but it's hard. Some of the things that I keep to myself aren't exactly dinner conversation even between the Titans. There are things I have done, things I have seen that…"

"I know, just… we are here for you. All of us, just like you are here for us as well."

"Rae I…"

The two were interrupted by a soft buzzing from nearby, walking over with a slight limp Raven reached out and checked her cell phone. The number that came up was from one of Cyborg's preset emergency numbers, detailing a meeting for later that evening.

"Looks like they need to talk to us."

"We need to inform them as well, now that we have a timetable all we need to do is figure out the location of the ritual"

"Agreed"

 _***TRwP***_

"Raven are you alright? You appear to be walking with the limp."

"Yeah Star I'm fine, just a bit sore from the sleeping conditions last night."

"He didn't make you sleep on the couch did he?"

"No Jinx Beast Boy let me take the bed every night."

"Oh, is the bed not of the pillowy softness?"

"No it's not that Star, I guess it's just different than what I am used to."

Jinx stared at her friend for a moment, as if trying to figure out a mystery, before a grin slowly formed on her face, getting wider with each second.

"Oh yeah I am sure it's bigger than what you thought huh Raven? Maybe a bit rougher than your used to?"

The sorceress went paler than normal before glaring at her luck centric counterpart.

"Oh was the bed too big for you Raven? Perhaps we can get you some of the stuffed animals to sleep with?"

"Yeah Raven, do you need another animal to sleep in your bed with you? Which one is your favorite Raven? I can imagine quite a few would be rather…. interesting."

Raven was blushing madly now, but still kept up her glare towards the pinkette who merely giggled in response.

 _***TRwP***_

"So how has Raven been BB?"

"Better, I think we sorted a few things out and she doesn't seem as confused now but I still think she could use some girl talk when we get back, just in case." The glare he sent towards his leader was anything but subtle.

"Agreed, so your cover is still intact then?" Robin replied, quickly changing the subject.

"Seems to be, I was worried a bit at first but we passed the initiations quite easily."

"Good, alright let's see how the girls are doing and get this underway."

 _***TRwP***_

"Alright Titans this meeting is going to be short and sweet, we can't risk Beast Boy and Raven being gone to long as to create suspicion. We have reports now of up to twelve missing teenagers from Jump City, all who reportedly just vanished. No struggle, no blood, no forensics, and no witnesses. Jinx has detected magic at two of the locations so far."

"Maybe that's what their final 'ingredients are?" Beast Boy responded.

"Ingredients?" Cyborg chimed in, a curious look on his face.

"They are preparing a ritual to bring a demon to our world, they claim to still need some final preparations in order to complete the task though. I would imagine that human sacrifices would be part of it."

The four Titans who were not part of the mission went wide eyed.

"How much time do we have?"

"According to the higher ups, two nights from now it begins." Raven answered her leader

"Do we know anything about the ritual? I mean the magic I detected was certainly high levels of dark sorcery."

"No idea Jinx, but we did manage to figure out what a few components of the ritual will be. We were told to steal an ancient spell book from a nearby museum. Added to that was a dagger used in the dark ages, reportedly for sacrifices, and what was reportedly a large canister of… something."

"So these guys are legit then, they really are trying to summon some kind of demonic creature?" Cyborg mumbled out, hoping that he was wrong in his assumptions.

"Looks that way, and if my research is correct then this thing might be just as bad as Trigon was."

"How do we stop the cult of the sacrifices?"

"Easy Star, we wait until that night and once they have everything assembled and all the higher ups are in one spot we take them down… hard."

The other Titans nodded in agreement with their leader.

***A/N***

 **Translations below:**

*Congratulations on your success so far. I can only hope that you will continue to have such luck and skill in the future.

**It is rude to speak in a language that no one else understands.

So things heating up, not only in the action plot but also between our favorite couple. As a note this story will remain 'T' which means no graphic violence, no scenes of torture, and nothing sexually explicit. If there are requests for such content I will upload it elsewhere and point everyone in the direction to view it though.

Interesting fact all of the man 'bad guys' have been named specifically for their roles, so if you are interested look them up.

Until next time I hope everyone enjoyed reading what I wrote!


	14. Pride

**The Roles we Play**

Pride

To all those who read, review, favorite, or follow… a huge thank you from me to you.

***I no own! ***

 _"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."_ – King James Bible

 _***TRwP***_

Two days had come and gone in no time with nothing exciting occurring for either the main group of Titans or the two undercover agents.

This also meant that there had not been a repeat performance of their 'quality time' together. Both Beast Boy and Raven figured that it wouldn't help the situation at all to be emotionally confused before such a confrontation and agreed to deal with their change in relationship after everything had settled down again.

This only served to infuriate the emoticlones, who had been whining especially hard since their shared experience.

Finally it came time to depart for the ceremonial area though, and the various cult members gathered before making their way to a condemned church several miles from where their hotel had been situated.

Raven had sent the coordinates to Cyborg before they had left, ensuring that backup would be in position when needed.

 _***TRwP***_

"Don't you think this is a little bit cliché? You know the whole 'ending the world in a church' thing?"

Berith chuckled at Mark's question as the two carried various boxes of supplies into the ceremonial chamber.

"I suppose it is a bit huh? Oh well I suppose it is just because demon's love their irony as much as the next super villain." The man responded.

The changeling merely shrugged before setting his weight down and glancing about the room at the various other members who had been given jobs to perform.

"Let me guess, we are waiting for the planets to align or the stroke of midnight or some crap like that?"

"Both good guesses, but no, we just need one more core ingredient and then unending power shall be ours."

"Good times, so when are we expecting the final delivery then?"

"It should be here in about an hour, I am anticipating it's arrival just when the last of the secondary parts arrive."

Beast Boy nodded before going off to unload some boxes, and to send the new information to the waiting heroes.

 _***TRwP***_

"I think we should move in now Robin." The voice of the largest Titan rang out through the commlink system.

"Negative Cyborg, we wait until the other players arrive. We can't afford to spook them and lose this opportunity."

"What about Raven and Beast Boy? They will be in more of the danger when the other fish of largeness arrive."

"Yeah what Starfire said." The pinkette muttered in confusion.

"Beast Boy and Raven will be fine don't worry about them. They know what is at stake here."

The Cybernetic teen angrily muted his communication device before turning to his pale girlfriend and backup for the mission. "Maybe he needs to worry more about them…"

 _***TRwP***_

The final members of the cult arrived along with several large coffins, before placing them in what appeared to be a pentagram shape.

"Brothers and sisters, thank you for joining us on this most eventful occasion!" A white haired man called out, gaining the attention of all the others in the room. "We stand on the brink of victory and soon all shall bear witness to the coming of our lord. We shall assume power over this pitiful world and be as kings! We need only the final piece of the puzzle."

The man gave a slight gesture and one of the coffins was opened up, revealing a very panicked teenage girl who had been bound and gagged.

Berith hoisted the girl out of the container and threw her onto her knees in front of his leader, gaining a sick sadistic smile as he did so. Moments later he tilted the girl's head back so that she was staring straight up at the ceiling.

Abaddon presented a ceremonial dagger to the man while a cloak was draped across his shoulders and the book that Raven and Beast Boy had stolen was placed in his free hand.

"Achtun veera nuveli miren ulton feroot wijal!"*

Placing down the book the man raised the dagger with both hands, preparing to thrust it into the girl's exposed throat.

Just as he thrust down the dagger was encased in a black aura, and ripped from the man's grasp.

The various cultists looked on in shock as Raven and Beast Boy had dropped their disguises.

"It's over Baphomet, give up and surrender peacefully."

"M-Mark, Rachel what…" Amy stuttered out, alongside a thoroughly confused Tommy.

Before an answer could be given a slow and methodical clapping was heard from the ritual area.

"Well well well so you finally decided to show your true colors. I was wondering how long you were going to let this continue before you stepped in." The cult leader mused, as his hands slowed and he slowly brought out a small medallion looking object from his cloak.

"Drop the act, you are all under arrest." The empath commanded, while her companion dropped into a fighting stance, already sensing something wrong with the situation.

"But why would we surrender when you have just guaranteed our victory? The final part of the ritual was not a human sacrifice after all, it was _you_ my dear. We needed raw demonic magic which we sadly do not have access to."

Raven's eyes widened in horror as she realized that they had been fooled from the start, before a crimson light emanated from the small jewel in the man's hand and began sapping the strength from her.

Her cries of pain immediately alerted her companion who went to her side to try and help, only to be forced into combat as Berith commanded the various cult members to attack.

 _***TRwP***_

"NOW can we go in!?" Cyborg practically shouted, although the question was completely unnecessary as he was already half way across the street, intending on using his body as a battering ram on the reinforced door.

Jinx was struggling to keep up with him, before noticing that an enraged Tamaranean and a somewhat reluctant Robin were coming in from their positions on the opposite side as well.

 _***TRwP***_

A loud booming sound from above alerted the various cultists to the other Titan's intervention.

"Seal the room, and deal with that pest while I finish the ritual." The leader commanded, continuing to draw upon the demonic powers of his victim

Beast Boy had charged forward to try and attack the man, only to be countered by a dozen other cultists.

Even with his enhanced abilities and training the changeling was having a bit of a difficult time, the men were clad in tactical armor which severely dampened his ability to harm them, along with their numbers which stopped any attempt for him to perform the more complicated bone shattering moves.

Not to say that he hadn't already dropped four of them.

Moments later a large banging sound emanated from the sealed entrance, as a roar of anger came from the other side.

'Looks like Cy is pissed, that means the door should be off its hinges in the next minute, at most.'

The green shapeshifter pondered, as he snapped another arm backwards unnaturally, eliciting a shout of pain from his victim.

Finally he had made it past the various goons and reached the cultists officers, when Baphomet shouted out in triumph.

"FINALLY POWER OVERWHELMING SHALL BE MINE!"

A crimson light emanated from the man's necklace as a dark vortex appeared in the center of the pentagram.

 **"Who dares to summon me!?"** A deep demonic voice called out from the swirl of energy.

"It is I, your loyal subject. I have brought you forth as promised and now I humbly request the power to complete the ritual and open the gateway as you direct my lord Shaitan."

 **"So shall it be! Do not fail, I have no use for weakness."**

Seconds passed before the cult leader cried out in pain, before his screams became laughing as he was consumed with a deep crimson energy.

"Now all shall see me and despair!"

"You are truly magnificent my lord! Please give me the power to aid you in glorious…." Berith was interrupted though as his leader's hand wrapped around his throat, crushing it instantly and causing the man to fall to the ground limp.

"Wha- but why!?" Abaddon asked, shocked that his leader could have killed one of his followers so casually.

"Because I don't need you anymore, and it will be one less person to share power with when the true Lord of the Earth returns!"

Before the other man could react the newly empowered cultist backhanded him, snapping his neck instantly.

"Now then, where were we? Ah yes, I suppose my first act should be to kill you and your…"

The door exploded, flying several feet from where it had previously been and landing with a heavy thud on the ground.

"Titans Go!"

"…friends" the half demonic man finished with a sinister smile.

 _***TRwP***_

'Must get back control, I need to help the others, to help Beast Boy.' Raven chanted, trying to wrestle control of her demonic abilities back from what was ripping them from her.

'Easier said than done Raven. It looks like this bastard was waiting for this opportunity, we should have known better than to come ourselves. A half demon infiltrating a demon worshipping cult? Yeah that was a brilliant idea.' Brave scolded.

'The logic was there but I do agree that hindsight does suggest the large possibility of this being a trap, our initial infiltration was far too easy for it to be legitimate.' Knowledge added.

'At least something good came from this though, we can stop the bad guys and we got to make amends with Beast Boy.' Happy chimed in.

'Hopefully we can continue making _amends_ with him after this is all over…' Affection replied, her eyes in an almost dreamy state.

'Focus! We need to get control of this before he can cause any more damage than he already has!'

'I don't see that happening, quite frankly this was your stupid fault for waiting this long, you should have gone in as a team rather than trying to stop everything with just you and Beast Boy.' Rage countered, receiving an annoyed growl from the desperate empath.

 _***TRwP***_

While Jinx and Starfire were mopping up the few cultists the boys charged in towards the leader, intending on dealing with him quickly, only to be treated like rag dolls for their effort.

A backhand sent Cyborg flying into a nearby pillar, cracking it in the process.

Robin managed to dodge a few sloppy blows, but was caught when the man let out a burst of red energy, sending him sprawling to the ground as well.

Beast Boy had been the only one who was still upright at this point, weaving through blows with practiced ease and ignoring the damage that could be caused by any demonic powers.

"Impressive boy, you really should join with me you know. I can feel the anger and hatred within you. True you hide and suppress it well but it is there."

"Sorry not interested, I've seen how you treat your followers."

"They were weak. You on the other hand are strong, you have the will and power of a fighter and a killer. This new world that I will help forge is the perfect place for a predator like you."

"I doubt that" the changeling responded, after dodging another haymaker launched by the man who simply began circling the boy slowly.

"Ah but it is true. Imagine it, anything you want can be yours due to your strength. Women, power, wealth, all of it yours for the taking. I will spare your friends, turn the men into your servants and the women into tools for your pleasure. We can rule this world!"

"Sorry, as hilarious as it would be to see Robin dressed up in a butler outfit I think I will pass."

Just as the man charged forward, intending on wiping the smirk off of his opponent's face, a powerful cybernetic fist smashed into his face, throwing him into a nearby wall.

"Booyah"

"Nice punch Cy"

"Heh, I was hoping to punch that jerk's face in at least once during this fight."

"Oh my my my, apparently you do still have a bit of fight left in you." The cultist replied, as he stood back up, cracking his back in annoyance.

"Perhaps this will be more entertaining than I originally thought."

"Hey Rob, if you have any bright ideas, now might be the time." The changeling muttered out, assuming a combat stance once more.

"Oh don't you worry Beast Boy, I have plans upon plans." The leader declared, as he threw a small device that wrapped the man up in an incredibly strong and dense metallic rope.

The boy wonder's grin faltered, however, after a quick burst of demonic energy evaporated the binding.

"Okay then fine, Titans Plan B!"

 _***TRwP***_

Plan B failed spectacularly, apparently the man's demonic power also prevented him from being frozen for anything more than a few moments.

Plan C also paid no dividends as the 'Sonic Boom' combo revealed no damage that had not been immediately healed.

The Titans, had then continued on to Plan D, which by this point included Jinx and Starfire as well since the other cultists had offered nothing beyond slight combat training in terms of resistance. This had fizzled out due to the lack of effect that the pinkette's abilities had on the empowered man.

Plans E, F, and even G had then been attempted, and all had yielded little to no results, the last of which was dubbed "Bury the jerk in as much rubble as possible" by Cyborg.

 _***TRwP***_

Slowly the Titans were being worn down, due to exhaustion and injuries.

Jinx had been taken out early on, a slight miscalculation on her part had earned her a power blast of energy which had broken her arm and severely fractured both of her legs.

Robin had managed to stay in the fight considerably longer, due to his various tricks and training. But he too had used up his luck and a wave of demonic power sent the boy flying into a pillar, doing enough damage to his entire body that he was barely able to stand.

Raven had attempted to heal them both, but with her powers still being slowly siphoned, and unwilling to tap into any more than was necessary for fear of speeding up the process, the recovery was proceeding too slowly for them to be of any use.

A furious barrage by Starfire and Cyborg had brought no results, and allowed for the man to emerge from the smoke and utilize a vicious charge to separate the changeling from the rest of his teammates, forcing him to take a moment to rest and heal his own injuries, while he watched on as the possessed man began adding wounds to the remaining two Titans.

 _***TRwP***_

Starfire had finally been removed from the fight, having taken a massive burst of energy that was intended for Raven and Jinx, thereby protecting them from harm.

By this point, over a half hour into the fight, the only two left fighting were Cyborg and Beast Boy, but both were showing signs of exhaustion.

The green hero had resorted to removing his gloves, shocking his teammates with wicked looking claws that were able to slice through concrete and steel as easily as he could flesh.

This had lead to some rather disturbing scenarios where the cultist had been left without arms, only to regenerate them moments later in a swirl of crimson energy.

"I gotta say BB this guy is seriously starting to get on my nerves, we need to figure out a way to drop him." The cybernetic man commanded, after launching the man into a nearby wall, thus buying them a slight break.

"Alright, I have an idea… how do you feel about going all out on him though?"

Cyborg knew what his best friend was subtly asking.

 _'Are you willing to kill him?'_

"We need to take this guy out before one of us doesn't walk out of here. I'll deal with any emotional issues later."

The green skinned boy nodded before charging towards the newly recovered psychopath.

Dodging a vicious right punch he spun around the man from behind, before grabbing his shoulders and using his new leverage to launch the man into the air.

Where the mechanical teen was waiting, having understood what was about to happen and leaping up in preparation, all while charging his sonic cannon.

The hero slammed down, launching Baphomet into the ground and releasing all of his strength and energy into one blow.

The sonic shockwave cratered the ground, releasing a wave of energy that tore what little was left in the room to pieces.

Thankfully the defeated cultists had been removed by Raven during the initial fighting.

"Boo… yah" The man declared, panting before he leaned over, his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

Twenty seconds later an arm laced in crimson energy shot out of the rubble, grabbing ahold of the mechanical man's arm before crushing it like cardboard.

The cry of pain alerted the others, most of which could only watch on in horror as their enemy once more rose from the ruins he had been smashed into.

"That's not possible…" Raven muttered out, her eyes full of horror.

"His bones should have been completely destroyed by that." Robin finished, his mind trying to figure out how to help his comrade.

Fortunately Beast Boy was still standing, and immediately sprinted to behind the man, before kicking the back of his leg in, forcing him to bend backwards and release his hold on the now destroyed limb.

A sickening snap filled the air as the emerald skinned hero snapped the leader's neck, before dropping the body to the floor.

 _***TRwP***_

Raven glanced over at the fallen man, while still working on healing Starfire's wounds.

"Finally it's over" the girl muttered out, taking in the status of her various teammates.

Suddenly she felt the burst of demonic energy, as the man's neck healed and he lashed out with a burst of demonic energy, throwing the green changeling into a nearby wall.

"You have got to be kidding me…" Jinx gasped out in shock, "what the hell does it take to keep this guy down!?"

For once Raven had no answer for her fellow sorceress.

 _***TRwP***_

Baphomet brushed the dirt from his tunic, growling in annoyance at the rips and tears that it had received from the battle. He would need to acquire a new one after summoning his lord into this world.

Glancing about he took note of the lack of opposition that now opposed him.

Their leader was far too injured to launch any sort of attack at this point.

The cybernetic man no longer had one of his arms, along with what appeared to be a substantial lack of energy from his last attack.

The pink haired brat had never been a threat.

The orange skinned girl was down for the count, no longer even conscious at this point.

The shapeshifter was now firmly planted into the wall.

This only left his original target, the half demon.

He needed only to rip the remaining demonic energy from her body, and use it as a catalyst to keep the portal to Hell open long enough for Shaitan to rip a permanent gateway open. Then he could lay waste to any resistance that the earth might be able to put up.

Then he would be the demon lord's right hand, his second in command who would receive power and prizes beyond compare.

All would kneel and despair.

 _***TRwP***_

Jinx looked on in horror as the demonically powered man strode calmly over to Raven, who had attempted one last attack, levitating a nearby pillar that had crumbled and launching it at the man.

Though it didn't impact and slam him into the ground it had bought the girl only a few seconds of relief before he once again emerged, completely unharmed and grabbed the pale girl by the throat.

"Now then, let's see if we can't hurry this process up a bit hm? After all I do have thing to do, nations to conquer and such. The nice thing is that I don't need you to use any special magic words, so crushing your windpipe is completely acceptable, especially to shut you up."

The pinkette tried to do something, to distract the man or launch some kind of attack.

But with Raven so close to him, and her vision still blurry from a mild concussion, she wasn't even sure she could hit him without hurting her friend in the process.

The man's triumphant laugh was interrupted though, as his arm was sliced into pieces by a pair of green claws.

He watched with a mixture of shock and fascination as the gothic girl was dropped to the ground, and scrambled away before the changeling appeared directly in front of him.

"Let's see you regrow this."

A second later his head was separated from his body.

Another second and his heart was ripped from his chest cavity. Followed by his lungs, liver, kidneys, intestines, and what remained of his spinal cord.

A swift kick launched what little remained of the man's body across the floor as the green hero turned to the still gasping girl.

"Are you alright Rae?"

 _***TRwP***_

She had frozen in fear when the psychopath began choking her, then came relief when Beast Boy had, once again, saved her life.

Horror took over a second later though when she witnessed the boy so _casually_ tear the man apart, his claws slicing and ripping as if there was no resistance.

Then he turned to her, and she saw the same look in his eyes that she always remembered.

Concern, compassion, and love.

Even with everything that he could do Beast Boy was still the same fun loving man she had fallen for. Through all the bloodshed, death, and doubt he still was concerned for her.

She knew at that moment that she was hopelessly in love with him.

 _***TRwP***_

"Hey Rae, are you okay?"

The girl nodded slightly.

"As much as I would love for this to be over, the slow swirling of energy over there means that this jackass still isn't dead yet…. So if anyone has any bright ideas I would be more than happy to listen." The changeling called out to the Titans.

"Raven, get Jinx, Starfire, and Cyborg as far back as possible, I don't want them getting caught in any more crossfire. Beast Boy, I might have a solution over here." Robin commanded.

While Raven began with her task, allowing Cyborg to slowly drag himself away due to his weight, Beast Boy approached his team leader.

The masked boy looked ready to fall over at any moment, but managed to reach into one of his larger utility packs and produce a small dagger, before hesitantly handing it over.

The shapeshifter took one look at it, before his eyes narrowed at the boy standing in front of him.

"You realize we _will_ be having a conversation about this when we get back to the tower correct?" the green hero growled out.

"I just want everyone to _make it back_."

"You know what you are asking me to do correct?"

"I will take responsibility." The boy wonder replied.

Beast Boy nodded, before glancing back at the now revived cult leader.

"Go wait with Raven and the others if you can, despite our problems I don't want you getting hurt."

The masked teen nodded before slowly walking away, often using the wall to hold himself up.

 _***TRwP***_

Beast Boy sprinted toward his opponent, dodging two attempted energy blasts by the man, before making a last second spin to his right, although still taking a deadly blow to part of his torso and free arm for his trouble.

Not a second passed before he slammed the dagger up to the hilt into the man's side, passing between two ribs and into the man's heart.

"Stupid boy, I finally got you." the white haired monster declared

"Yes you did, and I got you."

"It doesn't matter! I will heal from…" but before he could finish blood came oozing out of his mouth, as he fell to his hands and knees.

"Wha-what did you do?"

"I shoved a dagger into your heart."

"But that shouldn't…."

He never finished his statement, as the crimson energy that had protected him thus far faded away, leaving him to die in a pool of blood.

 _***TRwP***_

"Y-you did it…" Raven whispered out, as the changeling approached her and the others, limping slightly while his left arm fell uselessly at his side.

"Heh, yeah I guess so. At least this time he won't get back up."

"Let me see your arm."

"Don't worry about it Rae, the others are in worse…"

"LET ME SEE YOU ARM!" The girl practically shouted, feeling her demonic powers returning now that the previous container was dead.

"Uh sure whatever the doctor orders." The boy grinned sheepishly before slowly sitting down and allowing the girl to work her healing magic.

Meanwhile the others gazed at him with awed expressions, Starfire having recovered moments before the final blow was struck.

"So how did you do it BB? How did you finally…" The cybernetic man trailed off, not wanting to think of his 'little brother' as a killer.

A slight glance towards his leader told the shapeshifter that they should wait for a more private environment.

"Kind of a long story Cy, tell you what I can give you the play by play when we get back to the Tower…. and then the bragging will commence. I shall awe you all with stories of my valiant heroism, my incredible strength and skill, my ability to…"

"Continue babbling on about how amazing you are without pause?" The empath finished sarcastically as she smacked the boy in the back of his to make him hold still.

"Awwwww comeon Rae…."

"So it's 'Rae' now is it?" the pink haired Titan questioned, a smirk forming on her face.

"Sure, it's always been 'Rae'." The boy nodded, as if the answer had been obvious.

Cyborg laughed as Robin was muttering something about how unfair Karma was.

 _***TRwP***_

"So are we going to do this here, or with the others so you only have to explain yourself once?"

"I would rather leave them out of this."

"And I would rather be cruising up the coast on my awesome moped, with my own gang of biker girls at my disposal and you sitting in a sidecar next to Cy but we don't always get what we want."

Robin let out a sigh of defeat before nodding.

"Alright let's get the others and do this now, otherwise I am more likely to try and avoid this which will only make it worse."

Beast Boy nodded before helping the still badly bruised boy into the common area of the tower.

Moments later the other Titans arrived after they had been summoned via commlink.

Cyborg in particular looked quite perturbed.

"What's the deal now bird boy? Jinx and I were….. uh…. recovering…"

Robin just rolled his eyes at his teammates badly disguised attempt to not reveal their activities.

"I need to talk to all of you about what happened during the battle today also congratulations are in order for both Raven and Beast Boy. Without them this mission could have turned out much differently and as such I…"

"Get to the point Robin." The half demon commanded, wanting to spend some time meditating to figure out what her next move with her green skinned teammate would be.

"Uh yes of course, right. So I imagine that some of you noticed the various plans we had thrown at our adversary had failed correct?"

"Yes of course, but that does remind me Beast Boy, how did you finish of the bad man who was leading the cult?" the Tamaranean inquired.

"Simple, I used this." The boy replied, before pulling out the weapon that Robin had given him.

"Wait, I smashed the guys bones to dust and all you did was stab the guy and he dropped? How the heck does that work?" the mechanical man inquired.

"The dagger is made of Nth metal." Beast Boy replied, earning a silence throughout the room.

"How did you get that?" Raven whispered out, the feeling in her stomach turning to nausea.

"I gave it to him." Robin responded, drawing attention back to himself.

"Wow, I gotta admit Rob that you do think of everything. So you figured that we might run into some kind of magical crap on the mission and had this made in preparation?" Cyborg complimented, but received no reply from either the team leader or the one holding the dagger.

Instead Beast Boy was staring at the masked teen in an accusing manner.

"That is what happened… right Robin?" Starfire muttered out, hoping that it was not what she feared.

"Nth metal is extremely rare, it isn't something you can just go out and buy. Plus this is high quality work. I doubt it was made recently." the changeling growled out.

"Robin… what have you done?" Jinx asked, horror filling her face, as it slowly passed onto the other Titans as well.

"It isn't what you think…. Batman has developed emergency protocols on every member of the Justice League, should one of them go rogue. We are too powerful to not have these in place." Robin replied, with his eyes focused on the floor.

"So you created methods to kill us…" Raven gasped out.

"Yes"

The room fell into silence once more, no one making any attempt to move or speak.

"So you don't trust us." The dark skinned man accused, finally finding his voice amidst his thoughts.

"It's not that I don't trust you. I do, but the fact of the matter is that if Superman can go rogue, if I can go rogue then obviously there needs to be safety procedures in place. You all saw what happened when both Terra and I…."

Beast Boy let out a low, but menacing, growl at the mention of the blonde's name.

"….Sorry, I know she is taboo in the Tower but it is the exact point. If one of us were to turn for whatever reason, even beyond our choice there has to be a way to stop us. We can cause too much damage, not only to the team but to civilians as well." the boy wonder finished.

"I don't know man this is a lot to process, knowing that you devised kill switches for all of us…" Cyborg shook his head as he stood and left towards the door, followed closely by his girlfriend who had only glared at the boy before departing.

Raven silently passed through the floor with her magic, refusing to look the boy in his eyes.

Starfire gave a huff, tears evident in her eyes as she turned and walked away, no longer having the happiness to fly.

The remaining Titan stood to leave before his name was called out.

"Beast Boy wait… you were a member of The Doom Patrol, you know what we are capable of, maybe better than anyone. Do you at least understand why I did this?"

A moment of silence passed before the shapeshifter turned back to face his comrade.

"Of course I do. We had the same procedures back in my first team. But that was one of the reasons I left them Robin, I couldn't stand being with a team that called themselves a family and then did something like this."

With that the boy departed, leaving Robin to sit by himself, pondering what he would do next.

***A/N***

 ***This doesn't actually mean anything I just typed out words that sounded mystical….**

So that ends the 'Cultist Arc' as I have come to call it. I hope everyone enjoyed the climactic battle and victory.

A few more loose ends will be tied up next chapter but most are minor.

Since quite a few people have mentioned this I feel like I should address it now, I am not trying to make Robin into the 'bad guy'. I see him as a younger, more foolhardy version of Batman, who did the exact same thing with the Justice League as I stated. Superheroes have turned evil before, and having precautions against beings that can destroy cities with a single word seems like a decent idea…

Other than that I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter!


	15. Meeting of Titans

**The Roles we Play**

Meeting of Titans

All the love in the world for those who read my stories!

*Still no ownership*

 _"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed."_ – C.G. Jung

 _***TRwP***_

"Thank you all for coming. I know there have been some issues lately, especially involving trust with me, and I want to start rebuilding that. First though I want to announce that we will be having a Titans meeting in two weeks, with all of our teammates from the various locations coming here, that means we have a lot to get done in the next fourteen days. This includes cleaning, stocking up on supplies, and making sure that all of our equipment is up to date, including the defenses." Robin announced once the other members of his team had gathered in the common room.

Though if he were honest it hadn't been much of a team as of late, after his reveal of the secret he had kept his fellow teammates had kept their distance from him, and had gone through great lengths to ensure that none of them would end up alone with him for any amount of time. Cyborg and Beast Boy were especially keen on this.

Not that Robin blamed them.

He was hoping that this would show that he thought of them as more than just soldiers on a team, but as a family, something that the changeling had brought up during their conversation.

More and more the boy wonder was beginning to realize what the youngest member of their team had been forced to go through before everything in the Tower had changed, the isolation, and the feeling as though he was just there to fight criminals while being kept from any other activities.

The masked teen had some serious apologizing to do, not only to the green skinned boy but the others as well.

"So what exactly is the point of this conference then Robin?" Cyborg inquired, his eyes trained on their 'leader' throughout the meeting.

"First and foremost it is to build inter team relations. It has become very clear to me lately that many of our members are very specialized, which may call for creating specialized groups in order to deal with certain threats. The biggest example of this was during our last mission, if we had known about Raven's weakness to our opponent then I would have never had her place herself into that much danger just being there to heal us. Secondly I wanted to catch up on how the other teams were doing, sure we have the occasional video calls but other than that we are each far too independent of each other. Finally I think that all the Titans can use a bit of a break, so the others are forced to travel, but then get to have some relaxation at our expense."

"How long will they be staying?" Jinx inquired.

"We are planning on at least two or three days, but depending on the situation it might go up to a week."

"So we have to figure out how to provide another twenty five people with room and board, food, habitable areas including bathrooms, and privacy. All within the time span of two weeks?" Beast Boy questioned.

"Uh…. yes?"

"Do you think that we could have a bit more notice next time Robin?" Raven asked with a sigh, already feeling a headache growing at the thought of sharing a room with other Titan females.

'Don't worry Raven, everything will work out!' Happy exclaimed from her mind.

'Yeah, plus maybe it won't be a female Titan… maybe you can bunk with Beast Boy? Imagine it Raaaaaven, a whole three days in the same room with our favorite green love machine again… It has been sooooo long since we had the…. Pleasure…. Of his company after all.' Brave spoke dreamily.

'Along with the fact that you two have been avoiding a very important conversation since then as well, you do need to address that before it becomes a problem Raven.' Knowledge intoned.

'Yeah yeah, I'm working on it…' Raven mentally muttered.

"Robin, I need to ask you a serious question, and I want a serious answer." Cyborg suddenly demanded, his voice becoming hard and serious.

His target nodded, slightly wide eyed and nervous at the change in attitude

"Is this to get more information on the others for your little… project?"

The others froze, before shifting their gazes towards the hero in question.

"No, I promise you that little 'project' of mine has been locked away. I won't lie and say I have destroyed it because… well because I do believe it is important. But I have no interest in furthering it."

The others nodded their eyes still full of weariness towards their teammate.

"Well the only thing left to do is figure out a plan of action then, if you all are still interested in continuing this. If not I will cancel with the others."

"Of course not, it would be most glorious to see the other Titans once more! I have so much of the catching of the ups to do with the other girls. We will do the braiding of the hair, and applying the making up and even eating the large tubs of frozen deserts while we talk of the boys."

"Uh Star, I think you mean 'desserts'."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, deserts mean…. You know what never mind." Jinx just shook her head, leaving the girl to her innocent confusion.

 _***TRwP***_

Over the next two weeks the six teens worked, sweated, and in some cases bled, for the preparations.

Starfire and Beast Boy were moving various pieces of furniture and bedding in order to come up with enough sleeping arrangements for the other Titans.

Cyborg was updating the security systems and connecting their own systems with the other bases so that they could monitor all of the locations at once.

Jinx and Raven had been put on supply duty, and thus were making grocery lists.

Robin had originally taken to being the 'organizer' but after Cyborg threatened to link all alarms to his the masked teens personal communicator he had wisely chosen to help wherever he was needed most, which was currently trying to find and clear out more space for their eventual guests.

"Hmmm maybe if Titans South stays in the gym then we can move Titans North into the kitchen and…"

"Please do not tell me you are debating on whether putting some of our fellow superheroes in the laundry room." Cyborg called out from behind the pondering boy.

"What? Of course not Cyborg don't be ridiculous. Just curious though, do you think we could get a sleeping bag up on the kitchen table?"

"Robin we just spent about fifteen hundred dollars on groceries. We do not have enough space to put everyone in the kitchen. In fact we probably need to buy a couple of extra refrigerators for all this food." Jinx responded, as her and Raven walked into the room carrying arms full of grocery bags.

"The T-Car is completely full, and we still had to strap food onto the roof." Raven deadpanned.

"Oh… uh okay well then we can move Titans East to the pool area instead. Hey Cyborg how fast do you think you could build a floatable house?"

"They are not living in the pool Robin!"

"Well I don't see how else this is going to work then Cyborg, unless you have a magical…. Raven do you know of any comfortable extra dimensions by chance?"

The empath resisted the urge to face palm, mainly due to the fact that she couldn't raise her arms with all the bags currently on them.

"We could do the slumber partying and the sharing of the rooms…" Starfire chimed in, having just entered the room with the green skinned boy.

"That's a really good idea Star, a bit cramped but at least it will look like we care about our fellow Titans." The pinkette praised.

"Okay, that does make things easier. I bet we could get all of Titans East in Star's room, and then Titans North can take Cyborg's…"

"Where do you expect me to charge?" the Cybernetic teen inquired, earning a blank look from his leader.

"Also no one is going into mine there is way too many dangerous artifacts that someone could break." Raven intoned.

"Uhhh…."

Cyborg had immediately typed in a few buttons on his wrist computer before smirking.

"Got it! The Robin group can all stay in his room so that the rest of us don't suffocate under their egos. Starfire and the girls can stay in her room since it's pretty big anyway Jinx can stay with me in mine since we already do that half the time. That frees up her room for a group of boys, sorry jinx, and…"

"I can sleep anywhere so that gives us another room to work with, along with the extra guest room." Beast Boy agreed.

"Sorry man I didn't want to kick you out or anything."

"Nah, like I said I've had to sleep in practically any situation you can think of so it's no big deal. Heck I could sleep in the pool or outside if need be."

"Don't be absurd Beast Boy, you can always stay in my bed…. room. In my bedroom if it comes to that." Raven responded, thankful that her hood once more hid her blush.

Jinx smirked as she eyed her fellow sorceress.

"Don't worry about that Raven, besides I know it would be hard to sleep with the green bean." Cyborg chuckled, earning a fake pout from his friend.

"Yeah Raven, I bet it's really _hard_ huh?" the pinkette's smirk grew wider at her teasing.

"Oh yes Raven, please do tell us how the hardness was with the room sharing."

"Starfire… that isn't what Jinx was talking about…" Robin sighed, as he took a drink of pop to calm his nerves.

"Oh? So Jinx was not speaking of Beast Boy and Raven sharing in the sexual activities?"

Robin spewed the carbonated drink all over the room.

Cyborg's eyes widened as he stood frozen in shock.

Jinx fell to the ground laughing.

Raven found herself trying to hide even more in her cloak.

Beast Boy rolled his eyes.

Starfire just looked on curiously, wondering why everyone was reacting so strangely.

"Wha-wha-what!?" Cyborg finally recovered enough to shout.

"Oh man, you should see your faces! Holy crap that was funny Starfire!"

"I do not understand Jinx, are the sexual activities supposed to be funny now?"

"No Star, it's just everyone's reactions that are causing the laughter." Beast Boy explained.

"What do you mean 'sexual activities'!?"

"Really Vic? She means sex, doing the nasty, fucking, sleeping with each other, making love, the horizontal shuffle…"

"We get it Jinx…" the changeling interrupted.

"When, where, how, why, what?!" Robin's brain finally rebooted enough to begin functioning.

"Uh, during the mission, in the joint room we had, like any normal people I suppose, because we wanted to, and sex. Although that last question seems a bit repetitive don't you think Rob?" Beast Boy answered.

"B-b-but that's inappro…"

"Oh yes, and you are just the epitome of being a fair and appropriate team leader." Cyborg interrupted their leader, "Please explain how having threesomes with two of your female teammates behind everyone's backs and then showing off how awesome you are at all times, all while convincing one of them that 'saving people means you owe them sex'…"

"HE WHAT!?" Jinx roared out, immediately causing both Robin and Cyborg to pale.

"Uh…. sorry dude…."

Robin fled for his life amidst the various pink energy blasts.

 _***TRwP***_

"Seriously though Beast Boy, you and Raven hooked up?"

"Yeah Cy, a bit weird huh?"

"Nah not really, Jinx has been dropping not so subtle hints about Raven's interest in you for months now."

"Ah, yeah I just didn't want to rush into anything and become a rebound."

"Totally understandable" The mechanical man nodded in agreement, thinking of how to ask what was on his mind next.

"So uh…. are you and Raven... you know… a thing?"

"I don't know we haven't really discussed it, what with all the stuff that has been going on and the fact that we were on a mission at the time."

"You haven't continued…."

"No we haven't slept together since then."

"Oh… uh sorry, this is just a bit weird since you are both kind of like my little siblings."

"Sorry that we introduced incest into your life." The changeling chuckled, earning a flinch from the larger man.

"Do you want to be in a relationship with her?"

The green boy halted in his cleaning, Jinx had created quite the mess in her efforts to maim their leader.

"She deserves better… I can't really be in a long term relationship like that Cy…"

"Why not? You two seem good together."

"It's… complicated. I promise I will tell you later but it isn't something I want to talk about right now."

"Alright, well if you ever need to talk you know I'm here for you man, just like Jinx said she always would be and I am sure Star would as well. I would include Robin but who knows when we will see him next, plus he will probably just suggest a harem or something."

The two boys froze then burst into laughter.

 _***TRwP***_

"Welcome fellow Titans to the, soon to be annual, 'Teen Titans Convention'." Robin proudly declared, as their fellow superheroes arrived.

"Yeah yeah, get on with it bird boy." Speedy replied back, earning a few snickers and a glare from Robin.

"Remind me again why we made him a Titan…." The boy wonder muttered.

"Because you are way too much of an ego maniac not to invite your redheaded clone?"

"Thank you Cyborg…."

"So what is the point of all this Robin?" Bumblebee inquired.

"Glad you asked the point is that so far each of the teams has been relatively segmented to our own sections. Sure we share information occasionally on villains but rarely anything more than that. Recent events have shown me that we need to build better team relations so that should the need arise to create a unique group from various areas that we are all aware of what everyone is capable of, and that we know that everyone can get along enough to do what is needed."

Various nods of agreement were seen allowing the boy to continue his announcements.

"Also I think we can all agree that we have been a bit overworked lately and since you have all made the trip out here we are more than willing to provide you all with a bit of a miniature vacation."

That elicited a few cheers before the various heroes spread out in the common room and began their individual conversations, while Robin went to locate the other team leaders.

 _***TRwP***_

"Hello Raven how have you been?"

"Not bad Argent, yourself?"

"Oh same old same old, I heard your team had a bit of a snag last month?"

"Yeah it was a bit of a close on, dealing with black magic is always a bit of a risk after all."

"Indeed, by the way have you seen Beast Boy around?"

"Uh yeah he's over talking to Aqualad, why?"

"Oh just wanted to catch up with him. I haven't seen him in a while after all."

Moments later said boy noticed the two chatting, and politely excused himself to head over and speak to the two pale girls.

"Hey Argent, how have you been?"

"Good and you?"

"Certainly can't complain. I haven't heard from you in a while. Nothing's wrong I hope."

"Nah just got caught up in everything that has been going on, plus getting back into the flow with the team."

"I see… still I want to thank you for what you did for me and my team."

"Don't worry about that, you thanked me plenty last time…"

 _***Flashback***_

Argent gasped for breath, while struggling to push herself to her feet.

Glancing over she noticed that Red Star was still battling Wrestling Star, who was wearing a large mechanical suite furthering amplifying his physical abilities.

Hot Spot was down for the count, as was Thunder and Lightning, the latter of which was currently buried under some rubble.

At this point she wasn't sure that they would even survive this encounter, and began looking for an escape route for her team.

If only she could buy some time, then maybe the other could escape.

A loud crash from behind her alerted the gothic girl to the fact that her strongest companion had just been overpowered, and thrown through a nearby wall.

Glancing backwards she took note of the villain slowly striding towards her, a twisted grin on the man's masked face.

She attempted on last assault, launching a series of large energy rings to try and bind him to immobility.

It worked, for the first few moments, until a concentrated effort on the man's part shattered the wrappings.

He finally reached the girl, who managed to stand and glare up at him, refusing to show any fear in her last moments.

He pulled back his fist, intending on one last attack to finish the heroine off once and for all.

Just as he threw the punch a green blur intercepted the attack, spinning him around and tossing him across the room with his own momentum.

"You okay?"

Argent's eyes widened in shock at the sight in front of her, a green skinned boy towered over her, his suite consisting mostly of black and silver.

"B-Beast Boy?"

"The one and only, you don't look too good Argent."

"Wh-what are you doing here? Where are the other Titans?"

The boy shrugged and appeared to be in the process of answering before their enemy made his presence known once more.

"It appears another contender has entered the arena! Yet I fear no man!"

"Oh wow this guy is already starting to get on my nerves." The boy stated in a monotone voice befitting of his empathic teammate.

"Beast Boy be careful!" the pale skinned girl called out in a worried laced tone.

The changeling nodded before charging at his opponent, who ran forward to meet the boy as well.

The larger man tried for a grapple, only to have the hero slip past him.

He threw a powerful haymaker, only for it to be dodged.

His two handed overhead smash was likewise avoided.

Then Beast Boy went on the offensive.

An elbow to the face broke the man's nose, blinding him, a devastating kick to the side of his knee shattered the villain's ability to walk, much less stay standing. A slightly complicated grapple hold broke his arm in three places.

All the while Beast Boy mused on how difficult heroes made these fights for themselves.

They held back so much just to avoid hurting the 'bad guys' yet were met with lethal force each time that their enemies returned.

Sure there was no need to outright kill every villain, but snapping enough bones to prevent them from becoming a threat again wasn't the same as breaking a man's neck.

It was a miracle that superhero fatalities weren't more common.

The shapeshifter ended the fight by flipping over the armor clad man, grabbing his head in the process, and slamming it into the concrete.

The wrestler was lucky enough to just lose consciousness.

The green skinned boy returned to the fallen girl's side, gently picking her up bridal style and carrying her to where her team was recovering nearby.

 _***TRwP***_

"So what are you doing here my green friend?" Red Star inquired, nursing a badly sprained arm.

"Oh I just happened to be in the area when I heard the commotion so I thought I would come by and see what was going on, glad I did."

"Yeah no kidding man thanks a ton for that assist." Hotspot chimed in, while helping Lightning limp back to their vehicle.

"So where are the other Titans? I thought Robin and all them would be right behind you?" Argent once again posed her question.

"Probably back in Jump City." The changeling replied, "I am working with another team on an extended mission and I haven't been in contact with the others. We didn't have the best of partings."

"I'm sorry to hear that, are you going to be in the area for a while still? We extra room at our HQ and you are more than welcome to stay." The pale girl offered a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

Her teammates rolled their eyes are the girl's flirting.

"That won't be necessary we will be leav…" the hero was interrupted by a beeping from his communicator.

Upon taking it out he read the short message that had been sent to him, scowling a bit as he did so.

 _"Meetup yielded no results, will continue investigation in area. Take some time off while we are here, think of it as a miniature vacation and_ enjoy _yourself. –M"_

His team leader had been insistent on the boy taking some personal time for the last month or so. True the man was a hardass of the highest caliber but even he understood that 'working' constantly was not good for anyone, which could mean death in their line of employment.

"Actually that sounds nice, I appreciate it."

"Uh Argent, we don't really have any extra rooms remember? The guest room was converted into storage room two months ago."

"Oh my your right Thunder, I guess I can always let him stay with me… I am _very thankful_ for his assistance after all." The goth smirked as she replied.

'Subtle….' The other Titan's members thought in unison.

 _***TRwP***_

It hadn't taken long for the two Titans to begin dating, and soon after that a heated love affair, if the gasps and moans from her room were any indication.

Unfortunately for both they realized it would never be a long term thing, the combination of being a superhero and the distance posing too great of obstacles.

So when the time came and The Doom Patrol were finally able to locate a new lead the two lovers spent one final night saying goodbye to each other, before the Titans waved their companion off.

 _***End Flashback***_

The goth smirked, remembering the events just as clearly as the boy did, and gave him a seductive smile.

"Any chance we can have an encore of that month?" she purred out.

"Well with our lack of space there will be some co habitation…"

"Oh don't worry about that Beast Boy I am sure that Argent wouldn't mind staying with me in my room. We have so much to catch up on after all." Raven interrupted while glaring at the pale girl, who smiled in reply.

Her empathic senses had easily picked up the raw lust pouring off of her distant teammate, and quite frankly she didn't appreciate it being focused towards her green skinned friend… lover? Either way she didn't appreciate it.

"Darn, well I am sure we will run into each other from time to time in the next few days. I have always wanted to take a private dip in your pool…"

Beast Boy smiled towards his former lover, easily understanding the innuendo.

"Hey Beast Boy! Whats up man?" Hotspot and the other members of Argent's team called out, as they made their way towards the boy to catch up with him.

Meanwhile Raven practically dragged the other girl away from the group of boys, looking for a quiet place to get an explanation.

 _***TRwP***_

"So what's this all about Raven, it isn't like you to act so forceful. This wouldn't have anything to do with your lack of 'beast' time would it?" Jinx inquired her and Starfire having noticed the incident and making sure to follow their friend and monitor her odd behavior.

"What does she mean by… ohh." Argent joined in the smirking with the pinkette. "So you have had some experience with our _large_ green friend as well have you?"

"He is _my_ teammate Argent, and I brought _you_ here to make sure that you were not taking advantage of him."

"Uh huh… trust me girl if there is anyone taking advantage of the situation, it was both of us. And it was quite mutual I assure you." The goth replied.

"Oooooh sounds like you have a bit of a rival Raven." Jinx grinned as Starfire giggled behind her.

"Oh yes, you must settle this on the field of battle as is the custom on my planet."

The three girls turned towards the Tamaranean, confusion and a bit of fear in their eyes.

Was she suggesting that they fight for the boy?

"Uh Star what if they just talk it over instead? Fighting each other seems a bit intense even in this kind of situation don't you think?"

"Nonsense Jinx, this is the only way to truly settle a dispute among two lovers wishing for the affection of another. They both battle in the bedroom to see who is able to bring the prize to a louder passionate roar."

The three girls gaped at their friend, blushes appearing on all of their faces at what the 'innocent' princess had just suggested.

"But perhaps you are correct, it would be better to merely share in the experience. Perhaps you would have room for one more in the lover's entanglement?" the alien inquired.

As luck would have it Cyborg and Robin and walked over towards the gathering, hoping that everything was alright with their fellow teammates, and overheard the last comment.

Robin immediately passed out.

Cyborg froze up, muttering something about how Beast Boy had just "won at life".

Jinx fell to the floor laughing.

 _***TRwP***_

"So Beast Boy, I heard that you and Raven are a couple now." Argent called out, as she walked into the indoor pool that the shapeshifter was busy doing laps in.

The teen halted his exercises, before taking a look at the towel wrapped girl.

"I guess so, I mean we definitely have a connection but after the one time we haven't actually decided what we are. Not sure if it was a onetime thing or if she is interested in more."

"I see… so you are still single then?" the gothic girl inquired, as she neared the shallow end of the pool with the steps leading into the water.

The boy shrugged in response.

To be honest the situation was beginning to bother him and he had asked Raven about it, but the girl hadn't given a direct answer. She had just responded with an excuse on needing to sort through her emotions and figure out what was going on in the team before they made any commitments.

He was hoping to be in some kind of relationship with the girl, his feelings for her had only grown since his return to the Titans and he had been longing to explore them more openly.

"I guess if I had some kind of 'relationship status' it would be 'it is complicated'." The boy chuckled, earning a smile and understanding nod from the girl.

"Well if you need anything I am always available to talk… or more if you are interested…" with that the heroine cast aside her towel onto the floor, and entered the water.

The problem was that she wasn't wearing a bathing suit. In fact she wasn't wearing _anything_.

Beast Boy's eyes widened in surprise as the teen slowly swam over to him.

"And if it doesn't end up working out between you two… I would be very happy to pick up where we left off."

Raven growled from the shadows.

She had taken to watching her teammate while he had been swimming earlier, engrossed in the way that his muscles were able to push him through the water so easily, every movement accentuated by his emerald skin.

But now this… hussy… was making a move on him.

She had no right to do so!

The half demon watched, enraged, as the girl leaned up and placed a gentle kiss on the object of her affections lips, before staring back into his eyes.

That was all Raven could stand.

Walking out of the portal she made her presence known with a loud clearing of her throat.

"As you are our guest Argent I am sure you were unaware of our rules, but there is no skinny dipping in the Titan's pool, sorry."

"Ah my mistake, sorry about that I must have left my bikini at home during the packing, any chance you have an extra?"

Raven held back the urge to growl and pounce on the nude girl.

"I'll see what I can find, but don't count on anything too flattering."

The pale girl shrugged, before slowly making her way out of the water, purposefully swaying her hips to keep the young boy's eyes on her figure, and bending quite low in order to pick up her discarded towel.

"I'll see you later Beast Boy."

The teen gave a wordless, slack jawed nod as towel clad girl left.

"Sorry Beast Boy, but you know the rules."

"It's okay Rae, I was pretty much done anyway." The hero replied, as he too exited the pool… completely nude.

Raven's eyes practically popped out of her head as her lover picked up a dark purple towel and left to change.

"Maybe it is time to get some of these silly rules removed…" the empath muttered, her emoticlones agreeing in a loud chorus.

 _***TRwP***_

"Hey Rae, what's the big emergency you called me for?" the young changeling asked, as he walked into the empath's room, only to see the girl tucked into her cloak with a strange look in her eyes.

A look that made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

An animalistic stare.

"I was hoping to clear something up with you Beast Boy." The girl replied, her monotone cracking slightly.

"Uh… okay… and what would that be?" Now the boy was nervous, as he noticed the door slide shut and lock behind him.

"I think we need to establish what exactly is going on between us, but before that…" the sorceress parted her cloak, revealing that she was not wearing anything underneath it. "I want to remind you that you don't need anyone else to remain… satisfied."

Beast Boy took a slow gulp, as his teammate advanced on him.

 _***TRwP***_

Robin awoke to the beeping that signaled an incoming message on the video system. After a bit of stretching to remove the annoying pain in his back from sleeping on the floor, he had given Speedy his bed after the redhead had made a comment about seeing if there was any extra room with Starfire.

Making his way to the nearest control console he typed a few keys which brought up the image of his father figure.

"Batman"

"Robin"

"To what do I owe the early morning call?"

"We need to talk."

"About?"

"I will explain when we get there, prepare for our arrival in one hour."

" _We?_ "

"The League is coming with me."

***A/N***

Aaaaaand cliffhanger!

Sorry for not doing Argent's accent, I tried looking up what it would be like online and it didn't seem very easy to type out. If anyone has suggestions on how to do so and could take the time to explain it I would be very appreciative.

I hope everyone enjoyed my attempt at being flirtatious through the various characters, my own flirting skills are mediocre at best.

As of right now the plan for the story will continue to be BBxRae, thus far the majority seems to want this more than any other group relationships. If this changes I might add in something to put Beast Boy ahead of Robin and Cyborg.

Next chapter will be another non-combat chapter and the start of a pseudo Arc. This will be bringing up some very… interesting issues for our favorite green shapeshifter.

Hope everyone enjoyed!


	16. Accusations

**The Roles we Play**

Accusations

Thanks everyone who reads my stories!

***I just checked and I still don't own the Teen Titans. Guess I will check again next week… ***

 _"Suspicion haunts the guilty mind"_ – Shakespeare

 _***TRwP***_

"Batman"

"Robin"

The two crime fighters once again began their stare down.

"Are we waiting for something to happen?" Beast Boy whispered to his mechanical friend who shrugged his shoulders.

"Could we get on with this please? Robin woke us up early for this crap." Jinx muttered out, still exhausted after having the boy wonder pound on everyone's door frantically at six in the morning.

"I'm with her actually I could use a bit more…"

"Can it Flash" The Green Lantern growled back, his lack of sleep already noticeable as well.

"We are here because there have been some… questionable events surrounding you and your teams lately Robin." The dark knight called out causing the boy's eyes to narrow in distrust.

"What sort of 'events'." The man's apprentice inquired.

"The type of events that we cannot afford to have linked to us." Superman responded.

"So this is an inquiry on The Teen Titans as a whole, or just my particular team?"

"Both, but primarily yours Robin."

"Oh could we partake in the breaking of the fast before the questions begin please?" The Tamaranean suddenly interrupted, earning the rumbling of stomachs from both sides as well as a few chuckles.

Robin gave a deep sigh, not only did The League insist on showing up and making accusations, but now he had to feed them. What a lovely start to a day.

 _***TRwP***_

The one true advantage that the Titans had over The Justice League, considering that the latter of which had experience, political pull, fame, and power, was that they had the home field advantage.

That and the more mature heroes had decided on starting this investigation when all of the Titans were already present, thus providing a unified front for Robin to work with.

After breakfast, which consisted of so many pancakes that many believed the batter would overflow the tower, they finally got down to business.

The Justice League insisted on setting up a type of court room type of situation, which Robin agreed to since the alternative would be splitting up his team into separate interrogation rooms.

"Now then let's get down to business." Batman began, as he pulled out a large stack of files and folders of information. "First up was an incident you were with involving the FBI, walk us through that please." Robin's eyes narrowed as he questioned where this was all heading.

"Very well, we had been contacted by the local FBI liaison, the Chief of Police from Jump City, and the Mayor to act as consultants on a Federal case. According to them there was a serial killer on the loose somewhere in the area who had been targeting younger teenagers and kidnapping before brutally murdering them. The actions were especially violent since he would broadcast them on the internet from a dozen websites, thus creating a sort of 'audience' for his murders."

"So you were called in to give your professional opinion on how to capture the man? I am curious as to why they did not try and contact Batman first." Wonder Woman interrupted.

"I can't say for certain, perhaps if they thought he would be reachable via your orbiting satellite fortress they would have attempted to do so." Robin responded, sarcasm lacing his voice and earning a growl from the heroine.

"What was that?" She shot back.

"Enough! Both of you, we aren't here to start a fight we just want to get answers." Superman interrupted, causing the tension to dissipate slightly.

"When did they ask for your actual assistance in the matter?" J'onn J'onzz pressed, trying to get the conversation back on track.

"Almost immediately, I believe they had been planning on asking us to pose as 'bait' from the start but were afraid that anything other than a direct confrontation would not have the desired effect." Cyborg calmly replied, giving his leader a bit of time to calm down.

"What exactly was their plan?" The Lantern asked.

"They wanted Robin to go under cover and pose as a potential victim where they believed the killer would be searching. Then Robin would either apprehend the killer himself, or the trap that they had planned would secure him." Raven finished.

"I thought that the changeling had been chosen for the assignment." Hawkgirl muttered out.

"Nah I volunteered later on, Rob was the original choice but I figured he would be better suited to planning while I would be the better choice for bait, considering I can actually _turn into_ bait." The shapeshifter joked.

"Quite noble of you to do so son." Superman praised, the other Titans looked down at the table for a moment, all of them knowing that the boy had been guilt tripped into doing so.

Beast Boy on the other hand just waved it off.

"That reminds me Beast Boy, you never did tell us how you came up with the disguise you chose." Robin spoke, turning the attention towards the changeling.

He merely shrugged, "Guess I just put pieces together till they fit."

"It was more than just that though, wasn't it?" This time it was almost accusing. Robin had a mystery to solve and the green skinned boy knew he couldn't just duck out of it like normal.

Beast Boy let out a sigh, "Fine, it's what I would have looked like."

"What do you mean 'would have looked like'?" Wonder Woman asked.

The boy growled in annoyance.

"I wasn't born green if the situation had been different that was what I _would have_ looked like."

The room fell into silence, as the various individuals flinched at having pried into what was apparently a very personal issue.

 _***TRwP***_

"Please continue the debriefing" The speederster called out.

"The plan was simple Beast Boy, the disguise of a holoring, would pose near a bus stop as a young teenager at night, meanwhile the rest of my team and the FBI would take up hidden positions all around the area with random patrols to rule out any kind of surprises. Once the man made contact with Beast Boy and attempted to kidnap him we would take him down, quick and efficiently." The boy wonder replied, finally having calmed himself down enough to remain impassive.

"But it did not happen that way did it?" Batman inquired, his voice taking an accusing tone.

"It would have had circumstances not…"

"You should always be prepared for changes Robin. I taught you that remember? Hope for the best, plan for the worst, and be prepared for the unexpected."

"How exactly are we supposed to prepare for the unexpected? You can't plan for everything no matter how much you try!" The masked boy fired back at his mentor.

"That is why I didn't think you were ready to lead a team of your own Robin you still have much to learn."

"Robin is a good leader, and he's right. No one can plan for every single thing that might happen, it just isn't possible. How could we have known that Cinderblock was going to attack a residential area nearby?" Cyborg chimed in, coming to his leader's defense.

"Then the FBI should have been told how to run the operation."

"I _did_ tell them. Stagger patrols at random intervals, no communication devices in the ears or on the chests, no parked cars on the street, no agents in any vehicles or by any windows, all cameras hidden in plain sight. I know how to run an operation." Robin interrupted.

"REGARDLESS of what happened, it seems as though you had everything you could under control as far as you were able to." Wonder Woman called out, silencing the argument, while giving Robin subtle praise which he nodded in appreciation of.

"After Cinderblocks defeat we still had heard no signal from the FBI or Beast Boy, so we decided to grab some food and continue on a backup plan should this one fail." Robin muttered out the second half, knowing full well what was coming next from the older heroes.

"You left him there! What the hell were you thinking!?" Hawkgirl practically screamed out.

"I didn't realize until later that we had disabled our communication devices, we couldn't afford someone overhearing or picking up on the transmission." Cyborg mumbled.

"Incredibly irresponsible of you, the first priority should have been staying in touch with your teammate and the other agents, especially once the threat was removed. How long did it take you to reacquire communications?" Batman reprimanded.

"Around an hour and the half." Starfire whispered out, guilt surging back through her at how they had acted towards their friend.

Superman shook his head in disapproval before moving back to the task at hand.

"What did you do when you returned to the area?"

"After a short 'debriefing' from the FBI field head we began our search, it wasn't until hours later that Cyborg found a clue through the traffic cams." Robin responded.

"What about your sorceress? The report we have on her says she has the ability to find individuals through empathy." Wonder Woman inquired.

"It is based on my own emotions I was too distraught at that moment to focus my powers. By the time my powers were focused again he would have been beyond the range that I could search easily." The girl lied.

It seemed to work though as the others nodded, though Batman glared at her.

"Perhaps you should work on that control then Raven?"

"Leave her out of this." Beast Boy called out in a growl.

"Very well, then why don't you take over the story Beast Boy, you were captured and then what? We viewed the footage. Somehow you escaped the chains and were about to flee before you turned back. I would like to know why." The dark knight shifted the focus once more back onto the changeling.

"I took him down with some sweet martial arts moves. First I started with a wicked roundhouse kick, then I lead into an awesome jab then I went all Bruce Lee on that guy's ass and…"

"Where is he now?" Superman interrupted gently, noticing his friends growing annoyance with the boy.

The shapeshifter shrugged in reply, "Beats me, I left after I kicked his scrawny white ass all over the place."

"You left a dangerous serial killer alone after you beat him up?" Hawkgirl asked, an edge finding its way into her voice.

"Well there was no way to call for help so I had to contact the cops or something. Unfortunately whatever he had spiked me with original messed me up pretty bad so I sorta wandered around for like a day or two until I found a town, finally by that point I was recovered enough to find my way back home but I have no idea where I was taken originally."

"It seems rather convenient that you have no idea where the location was, especially since the serial killer was never seen or heard from again." Batman spoke out.

"Hmm I guess so, but maybe he just stopped killing because he is so afraid of my sheer awesome."

"You know what, I like the kid. He kinda reminds me of… well me." Flash whispered to his fellow League members.

"Yeah, you are both so humble. I wonder if he is your long lost brother." Hawkgirl muttered back, earning a smirk from the Green Lantern.

 _***TRwP***_

"Approximately fifteen months ago your team took part in the assault on a bank could you walk us through what happened please?" The man of steel politely inquired.

"Sure, we responded to a 'theft in progress' that was reported by Jump City Police, when we arrived they informed us that there were several armed men in the bank, nothing heavy reported but a few light automatics. Robin split us up, me and BB took the back entrance while Robin, Raven, and Starfire went in the front to create the initial distraction." Cyborg replied, earning nods from the older heroes.

"BB, uh that is Beast Boy, and I snuck around easily enough, I had hacked the cameras so that the bad guys couldn't use them, and we managed to get a few of the hostages who were held in the back out before taking a couple of the bad guys down… that is until crap hit the fan."

"You were ambushed." The dark knight spoke up, earning nods from the Titans.

"They were waiting for us, hiding in an office and waiting for when we would be distracted. I was taken out of the fight early on when an energy blast hit me, spraining my leg. Cyborg was handling the second man after Starfire had taken down the one who had hurt me. That was when Raven moved to heal my injuries, and when Beast Boy took a bullet."

The various League members glanced over towards the boy, who was sitting back in his chair with a relaxed expression. There was no hint of accomplishment on his face, no large grin like they had been expecting, just a calm demeanor.

"Go on" Wonder Woman encouraged gently.

"Raven managed to heal Robin quite easily, afterwards we were met the ups with Cyborg who had defeated his opponent. It was around then we realized that our friend was missing." The Tamaranean replied, tears beginning to form at her eyes as the painful memories came back to her.

"I found him moments after he had been shot in the head at near point blank range." Cyborg muttered out quietly, earning surprised looks from the other Titans, and even League members.

"So Raven managed to heal you?" the Martian guessed, but the empath shook her head.

"I cannot heal major brain damage or severe organ damage. There was nothing I could do, his pulse was already gone."

"But how are you alive then?" Flash asked, directing his attention to the changeling.

The boy let out another sigh, before giving the same explanation as he had when asked before. "Axolotl and Hydractinia."

"Uhhh" the speedster's mind blanked at the words that had just been thrown at him, before glancing at his teammates, most of which just shrugged.

Batman did not.

"Regenerative properties…" he muttered out, closing his eyes in a thinking manner before opening them in realization, he shifted his body towards the boy and spoke words that many were beyond shocked to hear.

"I'm sorry."

The boy merely shrugged.

'Sorry for what? Why would he be sorry about Beast Boy being able to regenerate himself, that isn't a bad thing…' Raven pondered, before storing the question away for later research.

"After that we returned Beast Boy's body to our morgue before he later revived himself." Cyborg continued, purposefully leaving out The Doom Patrol to keep his friends life a bit more private.

"Well we are certainly glad to hear that." The man of steel complimented, before moving on to their next topic.

 _***TRwP***_

"The last incident we mentioned doesn't end with the shootout though." Batman began, after they had taken a short break.

"He's right, a few months after we received a report that made mention of a mercenary group that had been hiding out in South America, apparently they were found violently butchered in their hideout. They match the description of the group you encountered." The dark skinned Lantern continued, narrowing his gaze on the teens in front of him.

"Ouch"

The galactic guardian blinked, shocked at such a minor dismissal from the green skinned hero.

"That's all you have to say, 'ouch'?"

"Ouch, that must have hurt?"

Robin was shaking his head, trying to alleviate the oncoming stress, while Cyborg was holding back the laughter that was threatening to emerge from the boy's reply.

"This is serious young man, the reports said that they were tortured for some time." Superman narrowed his gaze at the shapeshifter.

"The dude performed a coup de grace on me at point blank range with an oversized handgun, that being after he tried to shoot my teammate in the head. Sorry if I don't immediately break down in tears at the thought of his passing."

Superman winced a bit at the reply, but the caped crusader picked up where he left off.

"True, but I am surprised you are not more shocked to hear of his passing."

"You did say he was a dangerous mercenary who was hiding out in a third world country, those people tend not to die quick and painlessly."

"You seem quite knowledgeable in this regard." The masked man accused.

The boy shrugged again, before putting his feet up on the table and resting his arms behind his head.

"I watch a lot of action movies, just as Cy."

Batman growled in annoyance at the situation being taken so lightly by the boy.

Robin, however, was enjoying the hell out of himself. Despite Beast Boy's blatant disrespect, or perhaps because of it, he was getting to see a side of his mentor that he rarely had, agitation. He silently thanked whatever Gods were listening that it was Batman having to try to pry information from his teammate and not him. It was always fun watching the shapeshifter screw with interrogations like they were just a game.

"These are serious accusations that are being brought against you." The dark knight continued.

The boy suddenly sat up, glaring back at the man.

"What do you want…."

"I want the truth."

"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"

The room fell into silence at Beast Boy's shout, before his serious face broke into a large grin and he fell backwards onto his chair laughing.

"I have always wanted to say that!"

Most of the Titans just stared at the boy with shocked faces.

Batman glared daggers.

Cyborg and Robin were trying to hide their chuckles.

The Justice League was silent for a moment, before Flash burst out laughing to join his newly found brother.

"Holy crap that was great! Did you see how easily he did that!? Dude you should be an actor."

"I have always wanted to be a move star." Beast Boy nodded in agreement.

"Flash…. Shut it."

 _***TRwP***_

"So what's next on the agenda?" An irritated and bored Raven inquired, having already sat through several hours of questioning.

"The final situation we will be discussing was your most recent mission involving the cult." Superman replied, also feeling a bit weary at having to spend most of the day in the tower.

"Alright let's get on with it."

"Robin, take us through the scenario if you would" Batman commanded, much to the boy's irritation.

"It started when we were called in to stop Adonis, he had begun attacking a bank and we arrived a few minutes after his initial rampage. It had been obvious that he had upgraded his battle suit since our last confrontation and we went about probing for weaknesses. The startling discovery was when Raven found that the armor itself was able to resist her abilities, giving the man a notable edge over her. Luckily we were able to stop him before anyone was seriously hurt and we retrieved the various pieces of the weapon for analysis." The masked teenager began, before glancing to Raven and Jinx for further explanation.

"After an extensive research we located the source of the shield, apparently he had inscribed his armor with magical runes that allowed him to dampen the effects of magic used against him, thus allowing him far more protection against my abilities." The empathy continued.

"Yeah, after that we found out that some jerk had been in contact with the overcompensating ass and we set about doing some undercover work." The pinkette grinned, as she glanced towards her towering boyfriend who looked away with a slight blush.

"Go on…" Batman interrupted, rubbing his temples in irritation at how the team was acting.

"We arrested the man easily and after a thorough interrogation we determined that…"

"Hold on a second, where are the notes on this interrogation?" The Green Lantern interrupted the boy wonder, as he began shuffling through the notes that The League had put together.

"Well…"

"I didn't take any notes, kind of hard to do so when you are directly interrogating someone don't you think? I mean does Batman keep a bat shaped notepad on him at all times next to his bat pencils for when he is holding some guy upside down on a rooftop? Then when the guy starts confessing he gently sets the man down and says 'hold on I need to write down what you are saying _just in case_ I am questioned about this later on.'?" Beast Boy chimed in for his leader.

Several of the experienced heroes smirked, and glanced towards the masked man who scowled in return.

"Okay forget the notes, would you mind walking us through it then?"

"Nothing really to walk through, we had a pleasant conversation, talked about various things like the weather and his kids. Apparently he might be a grandpa soon, after that we compared notes on sports teams and I gave him some pointers on what he might buy his teenage son for his birthday. Real nice guy overall just kind of got down the wrong path."

At this point all of the heroes in the room were openly staring at the shapeshifter, most were slack jawed.

"And that… worked?" Flash stuttered out, confused beyond all belief.

"Sure, you would be surprised how much information you can get if you just act civil towards a person rather than immediately shouting at the guy or doing some silly 'good cop bad cop' routine."

Batman shot a glance towards the two Titans, who were looking a bit embarrassed by this accusation.

"Ummm right, so could you explain how the man was in such bad shape when we spoke to him then?" the Lantern continued.

The boy, once again, shrugged before leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.

"Beats me, but considering that he was sent to a fairly high level prison my guess is that he ran into some criminals who didn't like him. He did technically rat out his employers after all and I can't imagine that sits very well in jail."

"Moving on… how did you manage to infiltrate the cult?" Wonder Woman asked, trying to get the conversation back on topic.

"Holorings" The changeling replied, as if it was the answer to all questions.

Again the room fell quiet, as if everyone was expecting a longer explanation.

"Could you elaborate on that please?" the Martian finally spoke up.

"Okay… we used Holorings to change our appearance and blend in like who the cult might recruit. Don't they teach you guys this stuff in superhero school or something?"

"Not really…" the fastest man alive muttered out, before racing over and making himself a sandwich before sitting back down in the blink of an eye.

The others glared at the man.

"What? I told you I was hungry again and this is dragging on more than we agreed upon."

 _***TRwP***_

"When did you become aware of the cults true purpose, to summon the demon lord?" the dark knight asked, directing his question towards the Titans as a whole.

This time it was the empath who spoke up, "Two days before the ritual actually began, and before that we were kept in the dark as to what the true purpose."

"What about when you were made aware? What was your plan for the encounter?"

"We were waiting for all the major players and cult leaders to arrive, at that point we would rush in while Beast Boy and Raven held them off and take them all down at once." Robin replied.

"A decent plan, but you should have begun the assault as soon as they arrived, to catch them the least prepared. You know better than this Robin." Batman criticized.

Robin glared back.

"Regardless, the cultists were neutralized and despite the fact that the leader killed several of his lieutenants we managed to prevail." Raven finished up.

"I believe you are missing some key details out young lady." Hawk girl pressed.

"Such as?"

"For starters, the fact that this is yet another case in which the main target was found dead, this time when the police arrived." Superman continued.

"The battle got a bit heated and he was killed in the crossfire, things happen." Beast Boy said with a shrug, as if it was no big deal.

"And the fact that they managed to partially summon a powerful demon warlord into our world is among those things that just 'happen'?" Wonder Woman replied, her voice taking on an edge to it.

The boy just stared back at her before tracing his eyes over the other Justice League members, who were staring back with interest.

"You seem to know quite a lot about our missions recently, including the things that were not made public or shared with others…" The shapeshifter commented.

Robin's eyes widened the narrowed suspiciously towards the adults.

"Yeah… why is that exactly? And why are you so curious about Robin and the team? It's not like we failed any of these missions." Cyborg inquired.

"That's because they aren't after me, are you?" Robin spoke up, earning a glare from his mentor, before the realization hit the boy wonder.

"You're after Beast Boy."

The other Titans, save for the changeling, stared in shock, before several of them made subtle moves closer to their friend, showing signs of protectiveness.

"There are a lot of unexplained deaths focused around that boy we are trying to get to the bottom of them." Batman replied, not at all surprised at the turn of events.

"You knew…" Robin gasped out in surprise, earning curious looks from his fellow Titans.

"Knew what Robin?"

"They knew Starfire… about all of it. They never seemed surprised during anything that was revealed. So how much did you know _in advance_? Did you know we were being targeted by the mercenary group? That Raven's magic would actually _help_ the cultists? Did you know that one of us was being targeted by the serial killer?" Robin pushed, focusing the anger of the room onto the seven heroes.

"You do not have the authorization for that kind of information Robin." Batman replied, earning a growl from the boy.

"Get out…"

"Excuse me? What did you say?" Hawk girl growled back towards the whisper from the Titan leader.

"I said GET OUT! We aren't part of your team and you are not our supervisors, you have no right to come down here and interrogate our teammate or any of us. You have no control over this team what so ever."

"Unfortunately we cannot do that until we get answers Robin." Superman intoned.

"Sorry supes, 'you do not have the authorization for that kind of information'." The changeling repeated with a grin.

The man of steel's eyes narrowed at the boy.

"How do you figure Beast Boy?" The Green Lantern asked menacingly.

"You don't have the authority to arrest us, you aren't a government and you have no real political power. Hence why you can suggest and bring the bad guys in but the can be released immediately afterwards. You aren't part of our group which means you can't fire me or anything like that. But best of all there is the fact that if you were to try and do something I can just claim I was ordered to remove the threats, which stops you dead in your tracks." The shapeshifter continued.

"Why would Robin ordering you change…"

"I didn't say Robin..." The green hero replied, before lifting up his right sleeve, and revealing a strange tattoo just above his wrist.

It looked like the number eight with a large 'A' above it.

Batman's eyes widened at the sight, while the other heroes just stared on curiously.

"I don't get it, what's the point of…"

"So it is true then…" Batman interrupted the speedster.

"Yes, it is. So now you see how pointless this situation is. You have no authority over me just as I can claim all responsibility for the deaths I was involved in, which was all of them by the way."

"What does that tattoo mean?" Wonder Woman inquired.

"It symbolizes a very famous 'hand' in poker, 'aces over eights' which is referred to as a 'dead man's hand'. It also happens to be the symbol for The Doom Patrol."

The room grew silent as the older heroes who knew the name stared in shock at the boy who had just claimed to be part of a black ops strike force group.

"The fact doesn't change that you killed people Beast Boy, I am sorry but we have to take you in." Superman spoke with reluctance.

Beast Boy nodded, standing up and walking towards the heroes, despite the protests from his fellow Titans, several of which were standing up and appearing to get ready to fight in his defense.

"I assume that you will all be turning yourselves in as well then correct?" Beast Boy spoke quietly when he reached the group of experienced heroes.

"And why is that?" Wonder Woman inquired.

"Well if you are arresting me for murder I might let slip on the killings all of _you_ have been involved with. It's not like any of your don't have blood on your hands, plus the fact you are breaking international law with your space station laser gun." The changeling whispered back with a smirk, which only grew as the various League members looked on in shock.

"How did you…" Flash began before the boy chuckled.

"Oh come on, you don't really think that you are the only ones who spy on superheroes do you? The Doom Patrol considers you a threat just like you consider them one, and we have spent a long time analyzing your weaknesses and darkest secrets just in case."

"This isn't over…" Batman growled out, before the members turned to leave.

"Actually yes, it is." Beast Boy replied, before returning to his team.

 _***TRwP***_

"How did you do that Beast Boy?" Speedy asked excitedly over dinner that night.

"Do what?"

"You know get under their skin so much, man you must have balls made of steel or something."

The boy chuckled in response, "Nah I just know how to screw with people. Everyone seems to think that interrogations are one way, but I find it is just as easy to get information from the people asking the questions, after all they are just as emotionally motivated and their guard is usually fairly relaxed since they expect to be getting answers, not the other way around."

"Oh I don't know about that Beast Boy, your balls are quite impressive from what I remember." Argent spoke out in a flirtatious manner, earning jaw drops from most of the men in the room.

"Dude…nice…"

Robin was muttering angrily to himself about how he was still winning in the 'man category', which elicited a laugh from the mechanical teammate.

"You are definitely good at pissing people off BB." Cyborg laughed, while shaking his head.

"Oh yes, the heroes were most set of the up at your answers."

"I think you mean upset Star… you know what never mind." Jinx muttered with a giggle.

"Do you think that was the end of it Rob?" Cyborg inquired, directing attention to their leader.

"I don't know, what did you say to them at the end Beast Boy?"

"Nothing much, just reminded them that I knew more about them then they knew about me, plus the fact that they are breaking international law."

"WAIT WHAT!?"

"Dude volume control…" The boy muttered, rubbing his ears after their leader's shout.

"Like I said, they are break…"

The boy froze, his eyes widened in panic before returning to a soft, almost sad expression as he glanced down towards his belt.

"Beast Boy what's…" Raven started.

Robin immediately had noticed that Cyborg had appeared confused, and Wildebeest agitated at the same time.

An ultrasonic frequency was apparently causing the confusion.

The changeling reached into one of his pouches, retrieving a small pager like device before staring at it with a gloomy expression.

Seconds later the device fizzled and sparked before smoke rose out of it, signaling its destruction.

"Swan Song, ensemble" the boy muttered out.

"Beast Boy, is everything… okay?" Cyborg asked hesitantly, while the others had stopped eating and focused on the suddenly depressed boy.

"They are dead…"

***A/N***

Cliffhangers for the win!

I do so hope no one is annoyed that we had another sort of 'summary' chapter. I promise this will be the last one that does this.

To everyone who got the reference that Beast Boy made shouting at Batman, good for you it's a great movie.

As for the 'international law' that I mentioned, the "Outer Space Treaty" which they desperately need a cooler name for prohibits using anything more than 'conventional weapons' in space. I assume a giant orbiting space laser cannon 'with the punch of a small nuclear weapon' does not count as 'conventional'.

The 'Swan Song' comment will be explained in next week's chapter, also for next week expect a bit of a sad chapter, since I already mentioned death. I am hoping to make a few people's eyes water at least.

Until next time! I hope everyone enjoyed the story!


	17. Swan Song

**The Roles we Play**

Swan Song

Thank you to everyone who reads my stories.

***I do not own or make money on the Teen Titans. ***

 _"I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life."_ – Corazon Aquino

 _***TRwP***_

"We're here." Cyborg quietly called out to the car full of Titans.

The heroes nodded slowly, each taking glances towards the utterly silent changeling.

Each of them worried about their teammate ever since they had received the news.

After parking the disguised car the various teenagers exited and walked slowly towards the funeral parlor.

It had been raining nonstop since their friend had received his mysterious communication.

'It always seems fitting to have rain for funerals.' Raven noted sadly, as she stole glances of her disguised lover.

Beast Boy had opted for going without an umbrella, allowing the rain to soak his features, almost as if it held his tears. Or perhaps it was the lack of tears that he was attempting to disguise.

All of the Titans, save Robin, had donned Holorings to mask their superhero personas.

The Boy Wonder had simply opted for going without a disguise after his green skinned friend had told him that it would be fine, that he would not be sticking out in this occasion.

As they entered the heroes glanced around at the small gathering that was seated.

Soft calming music was playing in the background as whispered conversations filled the room.

 _***TRwP***_

"Richard?"

"Bruce?"

The two, no longer masked, heroes stared at each other, and each a bit shocked to see the other at the funeral.

"What are you doing here Richard? I thought you were still in class in Paris."

Robin shrugged as he flowed into the cover story, "Some friends of my roommate passed away, I wanted to show my support for him."

"I see… and you friend would be…"

"Ah Master Dayton I am glad you could make it." A finely dressed older man greeted Beast Boy, as the boy finally returned from speaking with another couple.

"Yeah, wouldn't miss it for the world…" The boy responded in a sad tone.

The man nodded his head knowingly.

"Such a shame all of them passing away like that, the ceremony will begin shortly if you would like to sit up front."

Beast Boy nodded before following the man away from his friends.

"Richard is that…"

"Yeah, but I didn't know he was related to _them_."

"Who are the Dayton's Richard?" the green eyed girl inquired.

"They are one of the richest families in America that explains why you took the time from your schedule to attend their funeral Bruce." 'Richard' commented.

The billionaire nodded.

 _***TRwP***_

"Thank you all for coming, as you all know the Dayton's were very private people, which is one of the reasons why the gathering is very small despite their influence. As some of you might have heard Steven and Rita Dayton along with their two closest friend Lawrence Trainor and Clifford Steele were killed in a private plane crash three days ago. Unfortunately their remains were never recovered. In accordance with Mr. Dayton's will all four were to be buried together in the same crypt upon their deaths." The man who had spoken to Beast Boy earlier on announced.

"I understand that you would like to say a few words Garfield?"

'Garfield? That explains why she called him Gar then… which means that when I called him that…' Raven cringed as she realized the boundary she had unknowingly crossed.

"Thank you Doctor Caulder, as some of you probably know I am the adopted son of Steve and Rita Dayton. They along with my two 'uncles' Larry and Cliff were one of the three families I have been blessed with in this lifetime. They are also the second of them to have been taken from me. Through them I was taught my love of theatrics, of late night movies, and of ice cream. I learned how to protect myself and how to survive. I was shown how to respect those around me who have earned it and how to look beyond the obvious. Through them I have grown not only mentally but spiritually as well. I can never truly repay what they have given me, I can never thank them enough for the sacrifices they were willing to make, for the truths that they told, the knowledge that they gave, and the love that they showed. Without them I would not be here today, of that I have no doubt. They were willing to take a chance on an orphan that everyone else had given up on, an orphan that had no future. I can only hope one day to see them again, to laugh, cry, to rejoice, and to mourn. I look forward to when I can sit beside my uncle Cliff and watch all of the awful movies that he taught me to love, to stare up at the stars with Larry while he explains the beauty of the universe, to read my mother books while sitting in her lap and listening to her laughter, and to sit through one of my father's lectures on how to appreciate what you have been given, but to appreciate what you have earned even more. Finally I look forward to the day when all three of my families can meet, when I can listen to my mothers and sisters laugh about my antics. When I can watch my uncles and brothers compete in one of their many games. When I can see my father' exchanging stories about their lives. Until then though I will carry on and make them proud. My father would never forgive me if my last words to him, to them, weren't Semper Fi." As the changeling finished his speech he glanced towards coffins, filled with pictures and trinkets that he knew did not represent the real them. The true articles of worth were hidden away, only to be seen and reminisced over by those truly close to them.

With a last sad smile the boy walked from the podium, and took his seat in the front row, which was occupied only by him.

 _***TRwP***_

Over the course of the next twenty minutes several others had gone up and given short speeches concerning the deceased, before walking over and offering their sympathies to the boy.

Finally the ceremony concluded, and the caskets were shut and made ready to transport.

As the various guests left Beast Boy stood staring at the containers with Bruce Wayne, as his teammates approached the pair.

"I heard rumors that a large group of terrorists were wiped out a few days ago, supposedly they were in the process of plotting the next major attack. I would imagine that whoever stopped them saved thousands of lives." The man softly spoke.

"Their swan song." The confirmed with a nod.

"Please, what is the song of the white birds?" Starfire inquired.

"It's said that the 'Cygnus Olor' or 'Mute Swan' is silent up until it is about to die, at which point it sings a beautiful song." Robin answered sadly.

Several moments of silence passed before Cyborg decided to continue that line of thought, "It's a myth isn't it?"

"Yes it is the swan does make a sound." Beast Boy clarified.

"They screech don't they?" Raven continued, looking towards the, currently blonde, boy.

Garfield just nodded in confirmation. "Yes, and they do not sing before they die."

 _***TRwP***_

"I know that you have been through a large ordeal Mister Dayton, but I would like to give you at least the first part of your inheritance now, it is a small box of personal items that were to be delivered to you upon their deaths." Caulder intoned, upon handing a briefcase sized box to the boy.

The changeling accepted it with a sad nod.

"I will be in touch over the next few weeks about the rest of it, but as far as I understand they left everything to you." The man responded, before leaving the boy and his friends to their silence.

 _***TRwP***_

"Beast Boy, do you want to talk about anything? I know it can be hard to lose your family but…"

"Nah its okay Rob, I just need to have some alone time for right now. I'll be okay though I swear." The boy replied, before leaving the common room and heading for his living quarters.

Once there he dimmed the lights, closed the blinds covering the window, and opened the box he had been given.

Inside were pictures, books, and four DVD's, each with one of his teammate's names on them.

After taking a deep breath the boy picked up the one marked by his commander and prepared to play it.

 _***TRwP***_

"Beast Boy, if you are watching this then it means we have most likely been killed in the line of duty, I can only hope that you have survived unharmed. As you most likely have already been informed Rita and I are leaving all of our possessions to you, Cliff and Larry are as well should they be in the same situation."

The video recording of Mento paused for a moment, as if he was unsure of how to proceed, a gesture that the teen had never seen the man take before.

"Beast Boy... Garfield… I am sorry that things turned out this way. I know that we have never been on the best of terms and since you departure to the Teen Titans our relationship has been even more strained but… I want you to know that despite my attitude I have always considered you my son. I know that what we have given you virtually ensures your career through the rest of your life but… I never wanted this for you. I wanted you to be normal, to be happy. I wish we could have found a way to revert you back to who you were, to who you should have been but… well we failed you in that regard. I failed you."

The man took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down before he let out any more emotion than he already had.

"I can only pray that you will find happiness someday, that you can find _peace_ someday. Now I wish to let you in on a secret that we have kept for many years now. Back when you originally joined us you may recall a long weekend that you spent with Cliff while Rita, Lawrence, and I were on an extended mission. The truth is that this was not an official request by the government. We had drawn straws and Robotman came up with the shortest, meaning that three of us were sent to eliminate a different kind of target. He was a man who was a known human trafficker, child molester, and murderer, a man by the name of Nicholas Galtry. Although he was technically civilian level he put up a harder fight than we anticipated, forcing us to use far more force than what was normally required. Needless to say the man did not die easily, or pleasantly."

Mento paused for a minute on the video, as if allowing his son to process what he had just said.

"I hope you can forgive me some day son, and perhaps even consider me a father figure. Though I know I cannot measure up to Mark Logan, I can only pray that should I meet him in the afterlife he will forgive me for what I put you through. Goodbye Garfield, I love you son."

With that the video ended, and for the first time in many years Garfield Logan cried.

 _***TRwP***_

"Hello Gar, as you probably know by now I am no longer among the living, and I have a suspicion that Steve has followed me. He never was able to function by himself, despite his bragging. I hope you are doing well and taking care of yourself. Make sure that you keep taking regular showers and brushing your teeth…"

At this point in the video tears began rolling down the woman's face as she struggled to slow her breath.

"I-I am s-so sorry Gar, for everything. I know that what we did was necessary for this life you were forced into but… no one should have to do this. I should have insisted that you be kept from the team, that you grow up with a normal life but… I guess I was too selfish to let you go. You were and always will be my son no matter what anyone tells me. I can only hope that Marie can forgive me for what I allowed to happen to you. I only hope that…"

Again the woman broke down into tears, silently sobbing at the knowledge of what had been done to her son.

"Just know Gar that no matter what happens we will always love you. Goodbye son."

 _***TRwP***_

"Hey kiddo! Uncle Cliff here. Guess I bit the big one eh? Well that figures, hopefully I took a few of the bastards down with me in the process." The large robotic man chuckled.

"Mento and Rita insisted on us doing this whole 'last goodbye' thing, personally I think it's a bit too sappy but whatever. I guess they wanted me to tell you personal things and remind you of all the good times we had and such. But quite frankly I think that's a load of crap. You know how I feel about you kid, you always have been able to see right through me no matter how big and scary I am… you were one of the few to ever truly see… me."

Cliff became silent for a moment, looking down at his hands in contemplation before returning his gaze to the camera.

"So like I said none of that sappy crap you hear! If this reaches you before our actual funeral then you damn sure better be playing some awesome tunes rather than that sad piano horse crap that Rita is insisting on. I expect something like 'You can't always get what you want' or maybe 'Highway to Hell'. You know something appropriate for how badass we are. Then I expect you to have a giant movie marathon and watch all those great films that I have exposed you to, of course if there isn't _at least_ three buckets of ice cream and four pizzas involved then I am going to be disappointed, just like that weekend we spent bonding eh? Speaking of which you should probably check out Steve's video or ask him about that weekend some time… although I drew the 'short straw' on that mission I still consider myself the winner overall."

The man grinned towards the screen before giving a ridiculous 'thumbs up' pose.

"Well kid I'll see you later, but not too soon okay? So don't you dare go and try and avenge us or some stupid bull crap or so help me I will kick your ass twice as hard as they do!"

 _***TRwP***_

"Greetings Beast Boy, if you haven't guessed already this is my 'video will' as the others are calling it. Personally I do not see the point of such a thing, we both know you will remember the good times whether or not I am here to remind you of them or not, but I suppose it is nice to reminisce. I hope that you are not upset over our passing I suspect that we most likely will all go at the same time due to our team composition and relationship with each other. Instead I would like to request that you celebrate our lives rather than mourn our deaths."

The bandaged man paused for a moment before continuing on.

"I have always told you that death is just another stage of life, and even should I pass away I hope that you will remember this and take it to heart. All things must die Garfield, it is the final balancing act of the universe and I do hope that you can forgive us for what we have… forced upon you. To cement your fate in such a way is cruel beyond compare, even with your acceptance of the terms. You are far too young to have been enveloped into this life style, and far too innocent to have seen what you were forced to witness."

"So until we meet again my friend and my nephew, live well."

With that the final video ceased, leaving the boy in darkness.

 _***TRwP***_

Hours later the changeling finally emerged from his room looking far worse for wear. His eyes were blood shot and dark circles surrounded them, indicating a severe lack of sleep.

"Hey Beast Boy how are you feeling?" Cyborg calmly asked, trying to show his support as well as comfort the boy he considered his brother.

"I'm… okay. I always knew this day would come but… it doesn't change the fact that it still hurts."

The man nodded. He had no idea what it would be like to expect his own family's death. After all his mother had been taken from him abruptly which had caused the distance he now had with his father.

"You need anything? You know I am always available to talk."

"Yeah I know Cy thanks I guess I just need time right now and maybe a giant tub of ice cream."

"Oh most wonderful! I shall have Robin go and pick up no less than fifteen of the tubs of creamy ice." The Tamaranean princess happily replied glad to see her friend making a joke.

"Wait what am I doing now?"

"Buying us all ice cream Boy Blunder, now hop to it. I would like strawberry mint if you would, and my man is going to want rocky road of course." The pinkette responded, as the conversation moved to them.

"Wait a second why am I the one who has to go?"

"You know what Robin is correct. That is completely unfair to him." Raven chimed in, earning a nod of agreement from the masked boy.

"Cyborg why don't you go and help Robin pick the containers up, I am sure that Starfire, Jinx, and I can 'take care' of Beast Boy while you are gone, he does need some 'cheering up' after all." The sorceress intoned, as the other girls snuck glances towards the boy.

"Y-you know what never mind of course I will go and pick the food up. I would be happy to! Cyborg you just stay here and make sure everyone stays in this room… _at all times_." Robin nervously laughed out, before grabbing the keys and bolting for the T-Car.

"Sometimes it is way too easy to manipulate that boy…" Cyborg shook his head while chuckling, "Nice work Raven, though a bit unbelievable that Jinx would…."

"You know she's right Vic, our favorite shapeshifter _does_ look like he could use some cheering up." The girl purred as she stared at the young boy.

"That's not funny…"

The pale girl laughed at her boyfriend's expression.

 _***TRwP***_

"So explain to me why you called in a Titan from another team without asking?" Robin asked the resident empath.

"Because as much as I hate to admit it Argent has a connection to Beast Boy. We all know he needs all of the emotional support he can get right now." Raven replied.

"Wait… what do you mean 'a connection'. Just how close are they?" Cyborg inquired from his spot on the couch.

The five Titans had been whispering amongst themselves while Beast Boy was busy making himself a sandwich.

"Close enough that it makes me uncomfortable." The half demon intoned.

"Wait a second… was Beast Boy…" Jinx started before being interrupted by the changeling himself.

"Did you guys seriously forget about my enhanced hearing? I could hear you whispering from across the tower if I wanted to."

The Titans took on sheepish expressions as the boy joined them.

"So uh Beast Boy…"

"Yes we had a relationship together."

"How far did you two…"

"We slept together."

"And by sleeping you mean…"

"Seriously Robin, we are all grownups here, yes we had sex, a lot." the green boy finished.

This just caused his brother to form a large grin on his face.

"So BB, you were pretty young when this happened. Does this mean that Argent was the one who… you know… stamped your 'V card?"

"Please friends, what is this card you speak of? Should I be given one as well?"

"No Star it means… well it is sort of like… uh…" Robin began, trying to make this conversation as painless as possible.

"It means she took his virginity Star, she was his first." Jinx interrupted, getting annoyed at how pathetic their leader could be when it came to explaining human concepts to the princess.

"Yeah so BB was she gentle for your first time?" The dark skinned male grinned slyly towards the boy, who suddenly became very quiet and serious.

"She wasn't my first."

"She wasn't? But you were pretty young then BB, you been holding out on…" The cybernetic man continued as his friend stood up and walked from the room, a strange look on his face.

"What the heck was that about?" Robin questioned, before noticing a concerned look on the pinkette's face as well.

Without a word she stood up and quickly walked after the boy, earning even more curiosity between the remaining Titans.

"What the heck is going on?" Cyborg asked out loud.

"She has seen that look before, as have I. It is the look of someone whose 'first time' was taken from them without choice." Starfire sadly commented, earning a horrified look from Raven.

"Starfire, how do you know that?" the empath asked hesitantly.

"Because I have seen that face on handmaidens from Tamaran who were forced to endure such things, I believe that those two share something in common that none of us can understand."

Cyborg's jaw dropped in horror as he realized what the girl was implying.

"Hopefully none of us ever do understand that feeling." Raven muttered, trying to hold back the bile that was threatening to leave her stomach.

 _***TRwP***_

A few soft knocks echoed through the changeling's room.

"Beast Boy?"

"Enter"

The door slid open as Jinx slowly walked in, closing the door silently behind her.

She stood at the wall for a few moments, trying to figure out how to begin the awkward conversation with the boy sitting on the floor.

"I'm sorry."

The pink eyed girl looked up at the boy, confused as to why he would be apologizing.

"I have a habit of picking up on trauma and personal things like that you went through something similar right?"

The pale girl nodded in confirmation.

"I'm sorry… I was hoping that no one here would understand and that I would be alone to bear this particular scar."

"It's okay, I'm sorry too… do you want to talk about it?"

The boy shrugged before gesturing towards a chair for the girl to sit in.

She took a seat on the floor instead.

"How old were you?" the girl whispered out.

"Six"

"Th-that's… I'm sorry, at least the bastards waited till I was thirteen."

"Before or after joining the HIVE?"

"Right before, I guess it pushed me to becoming a villain. I was never treated well before, but that…"

"Yeah…"

"Besides if it happened when I was with the team Mammoth would have killed them."

"Nice to know you have a guardian angel huh?"

"Yeah…"

Silence once more reigned in the room, but it had turned into a more comfortable, understanding silence.

 _***TRwP***_

An hour later Beast Boy and Jinx reemerged and joined the others despite the bonding they had there was still a feeling of depression in the Tower.

"I wonder if that's what will eventually happen to all of us…" Robin mumbled out, as the Titans sat together in the common room.

"What do you mean Robin?" Cyborg inquired.

"I mean, this job tends to take its toll but I can't really imagine doing much else. Will that eventually be us? Empty coffins with a few friends at a funeral? Never telling exactly what we did in life, just the fake lives that we had?"

Again silence filled the room.

"I always figured I would end up being a mechanic, or a chef. Maybe even a scientist like my old man." The mechanical man mused.

The other's smiled at the thought.

"I have always wanted to try my hand in writing novels, or maybe being a librarian." Raven responded with a smile.

"I always wanted to be a famous movie star or actress, or maybe a multi millionaire and then just retire to someplace sunny and sandy." Jinx threw in, laughing at the dream.

"I for one think you would make a very good retired millionaire Jinx." Beast Boy laughed, earning a giggle from the pinkette.

"I knew I would follow in Batman's footsteps, I never knew this much though. Maybe I will look into retiring someday. I don't want to turn into an old man who still tries to fight crime and obsesses over it."

"On my planet I am royalty but I have always dreamed of having a peaceful normal life, perhaps helping others in ways that do not involve violence."

"It sounds like you would make a pretty good councilor or teacher Starfire, the cheerfulness you have would definitely give you an edge." Jinx praised in agreement.

"What about you BB? What big dreams do you have of the future?" dark skinned male asked.

The boy took on a faraway look in his eyes before smiling softly.

"I guess when I was a boy I wanted to be like my parents, my original parents. They were scientists who wanted to cure diseases and save people. After… life happened and I was taken in by The Doom Patrol and trained I knew that I would be doing this job until I died."

"Is that what the tattoo means?" The empath asked.

"Yeah, we are 'dead men walking'. No one retires from this team ironically it was my suggestion that we get the tattoos."

"Why is that Beast Boy?" The Boy Wonder chimed in.

"Is it the same reason that Batman apologized to you?" Cyborg asked, being reminder of the strange incident.

"Yeah, having amazing regeneration makes me pretty darn hard to kill, but with all of those evolutionary traits I also have another one that I haven't mentioned, Biological Immortality. With all of my other 'perks' taken into account the only way I will ever leave this world… is violently. Meaning that I can't really have a normal life, if I get married then I will probably have to watch her age and die while I stay the same. Kids are the same unless they inherit this 'gift."

"That's… man I didn't know…"

"It's okay Cy I didn't really broadcast it so I never expected you guys to know, at least until Robin started getting grey hairs and wrinkles."

The Titan leader scowled, before subtly checking his hair in the reflection of the Television monitor.

 _***TRwP***_

"This is a joke… right?"

"No Vic it isn't…"

"B-but this is so unfair!"

"Excuse me? I thought you were the one who gave me the 'get out of jail free pass after our little threesome with Bumblebee."

"Well yeah but… I mean I never thought that…"

"That what? I would be interested in 'experimenting' with someone else? Yeah well I never did until… this is different Vic, he needs this and I think I do too."

"But still…"

"Listen if you don't want me to then just say so and I won't. I'm not going to mess up our relationship for a onetime thing. Just remember this the next time you start eyeing up Karen."

"Alright alright fair enough. I guess I'm glad it's not Robin at least."

"Ugh God no."

"I still would like to know why BB though…"

Jinx sighed, she knew that this conversation was going to be awkward but her boyfriend had insisted that she be given a onetime consequence free cheat since she had allowed for the threesome with his ex.

"Because we had a connection, something that no one else in this tower, thank God, shares. It's something that only we can understand."

"Can you promise me one thing? Someday will you try and talk to me about what happened to you?"

"Yeah… just not yet Vic… it's too soon still for that conversation."

"Alright."

 _***TRwP***_

"This is so unfair…" Robin muttered out as he and Cyborg were playing video games in the common room.

Games that had the volume cranked up so high they could barely hear each other, in an attempt to drown out any more screams of pleasure that might come from the changeling's room.

Raven had convinced Argent, Starfire, and Jinx to do something 'special' for the boy to try and make up for everything that had happened to him.

The others had agreed happily.

At first it hadn't been too bad, that is until Starfire had let out a scream of ecstasy the likes of which could cause even a porn star to blush.

Robin was still irritated.

"Sorry you say something Rob?" The mechanical man hollered over the sound of cars crashing.

"I SAID THIS IS BULLSHIT!"

"Sorry Rob your gonna have to speak up, unless this is about how Beast Boy just won at life, forever and always. In that case shut your trap and keep playing."

"OH AND I GUESS YOU'RE OKAY WITH THIS?"

"Hey I figure this is just karma for all the shit we put him through over the course of several months. The dude has earned a bit of payback. Plus I got my threesome out of the deal beforehand."

"Still bullshit…"

***A/N***

No cliffhanger this week but the story shall go on. I just need to think of how to introduce the next 'arc'.

I know a few people will probably be a bit upset at the whole "Beast Boy sleeps with like four different girls" thing, but let's be honest here, with all the crap I put him through in this story and especially this chapter I feel like I owe the poor guy.

Just in case anyone is worried, no this story is not turning into a harem fic. Beast Boy will remain with Raven as his 'serious' relationship and no one else.

For anyone who recognizes the "Swan Song" funeral scene, yes I did steal it from NCIS, it actually is one of my favorite scenes from that entire show and I feel it fits the part well.

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, I was a bit worried at first about making it sad enough but after basically crying through the 'video tape' part I feel like I did okay.

Read and enjoy!


	18. Zero Hour Pt 1

**The Roles we Play**

Zero Hour Pt. 1

Thank you to all who have stuck by me thus far and read my stories!

***No ownership implied. ***

 _"Older men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die."_ –Herbert Hoover

 _***TRwP***_

In a dimly lit underground room sat one of the greatest criminal minds that the world had ever seen.

In front of him sat a very large bag full of money.

The masked man tapped his fingers together several times in thought, going over the meeting he had just been through with one of his 'clients'.

 _***Flashback***_

"No more screw ups this time Slade!" The man shouted, slamming his fist down on the table in rage. "I told you I wanted those brats dead and you failed to deliver. Now you want to be paid even more? I have half a mind to…"

"To do what, turn me in? And when the authorities ask how you came upon this information how do you think you will explain that hm?"

The finely dressed businessman scowled in irritation.

"I lost one of my personal FBI agents from this fiasco Slade I should be compensated for that."

"You lost him due to your own stupidity. You should have known to warn your son not to try and kidnap and murder a hero, even if it was a teenager."

Again the man glared toward the calm and collected mercenary.

"Fine, it took me over a year but I finally managed to 'collect' enough money to meet you price. But know this, should you fail this time the next hit I put out will be on you instead."

"I would expect nothing less." The chrome plated man replied smoothly, before the politician took his leave.

 _***End Flashback***_

The meeting had gone far better than Slade had intended, he was expecting far more resistance and at least another ten minutes of empty threats before being paid.

Perhaps this showed just how desperate the man was, or how far he would hold a grudge.

But now the big question came to light, how exactly to destroy The Teen Titans? Obviously every plan he had concocted up until this point had failed, otherwise he would not be in this situation.

Even now with the significant payment in hand it was a daunting task. The teenage heroes were more than just six people with superpowers or training they were part of a much larger network, an organization that could be called upon should they require assistance.

The only way to be sure of his victory would be to isolate them from this support base.

That was also easier said than done.

The best way to accomplish such a thing would be to remove the other heroes from the equation, but that would take an army striking in numerous places. And splitting ones forces was never a smart idea in war.

Then Slade came upon his answer, a lesson that had been learned through victory and defeat during the second Great War, concentration of firepower and forces.

Rather than target all of them at once he would move against a group at a time, remove them, and then retreat before reinforcements could arrive. Overwhelming firepower at specific points would allow him to remove any advantages a single team of Titans would have.

Then once all but his true targets were out of the way he could begin his slow and systematic destruction of his true enemies.

He had been paid to kill The Teen Titans after all and the contract had said nothing on how to accomplish such a task.

 _***TRwP***_

Meanwhile the Titans were busy enjoying a day at the beach, due to the female's insistence.

"Come on Vic! Don't you want to go for a swim with me?" The pinkette called out from the water.

"Although I am water proof I am still picking seaweed from my joints after the last time I went for a swim, sorry babe." The cybernetic man declined, while shifting slightly to look at their leader, who was currently moping in the sand.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know what you mean Cyborg." The boy huffed in annoyance, while watching Beast Boy give Starfire a ride around the area as a dolphin.

"Ah, still hung up on the fact that the obsession has switched from you to BB huh?"

"Of course not! And I wouldn't say there is any obsession over him I mean what does he have that I don't? I'm the leader and a better martial artist. I have a better tan and better costume. I have super cool gadgets and a motorcycle, what's not to love?"

"Why don't you ask them if you are so confident in your superiority then?" Cyborg prodded while successfully hiding his smirk.

"Oh yeah that will go over well. 'Hey Raven and Starfire, could you tell me why you are more interested in sleeping with Beast Boy than me right now?' Yeah I'm sure that they will…"

"That's one of the reasons." The empath interrupted from behind them.

The Boy Wonder jumped almost a foot into the air before calming himself down.

"Jeesh Raven don't do that, and uh… what do you mean?"

"He isn't obsessive about everything that might prove him inadequate like you are. Even when you were the focal point he never moped around the tower whining subtly about how unfair life was. Sure he was affected by it but that was more of a combination of how we all acted towards him and his senses making him go crazy. Plus he has a healthy balance of work and play, unlike someone who feels like training sessions should be conducted four times a day."

"Hey it _is_ a good idea if we aren't at top shape then we might…"

"We also might be too exhausted and overworked when something bad actually _does_ happen. You know just as well as we do that all work and no play puts us all on edge and is just as dangerous to the team as not training at all." Cyborg chimed in, earning a slight glare from the masked boy.

"You have been treating us more like soldiers than actual teammates Robin that is yet another reason that Starfire and I have been spending so much time with him, plus he's hot." Raven finished with a slight blush.

"You know I am fully supportive of whatever it is you and green bean do I just don't want to know the details about it…" Cyborg muttered, trying to get any images of his 'brother' and 'sister' together out of his head.

"Also I have not been treating you guys like…" Robin started to defend himself, before a beeping alerted him to a message coming to the tower.

"Titans, looks like we will have to cut this short. Back to the tower asap!"

"Yeah, not like soldiers at all…" Cyborg mumbled, earning a giggle from his girlfriend who ran by to start picking up their beach towels.

 _***TRwP***_

"So what's the situation Robin?" Beast Boy inquired, after the team had arrived back at the tower and their leader had seemingly instant changed back into his combat outfit.

"Looks like there has been a breakout at several maximum security facilities across the country, quite a few of our former adversaries are now reported on the loose."

"Of course they are, man what is the point of calling them 'maximum security' if the bad guys can break out of the things on a weekly basis?" the mechanical Titan whined.

"It's not their fault Cyborg I can imagine it is quite difficult to keep a large number of super powered villains locked up in the same building, especially when they have similar interests." Robin replied.

Beast Boy chuckled at the idiocy of that statement, "Yeah what do you want them to do? Put the bad guys in _different_ prisons so that they can't band together and break out? That is asking a bit too much Cy."

The Boy Wonder almost face palmed at how casually his teammate had purposed a solution, and one that actually made sense.

"Well regardless of how easy we might make it seem I am sure there is a good reason for what they do… I can't think of one off the top of my head but that doesn't mean anything. Either way we need to figure out who is behind this. I highly doubt that dozens of villains all escaped on the same day by coincidence and I would bet that someone from the outside is helping them."

The Titans nodded before going through the list of escaped villains.

"Alright Robin what is the plan?" The empath asked, after reading through the list.

"Well since we can pretty much agree that they all had help all we need to do is analyze a few breakouts and then compare them, there must be a connecting link somewhere. Something like a common visitor, or a similar communication. So we will split up into three teams, each of us taking a different location and then analyze what we come up with." The boy commanded, before sending Jinx and Starfire to one prison, Beast Boy and Cyborg to a second, while he and Raven took a look around the third.

 _***TRwP***_

"Alright so what's the prob here?" Jinx called out, as she and the Tamaranean princess walked into the warden's office of the Jail they had been given.

"We had a major villain break out and Robin sends an ex-con to investigate it? Couldn't we have had someone a bit more… useful?" a guard muttered out from nearby, earning him a glare from the pinkette.

"Robin trusts that since I have personally escaped from your so called 'maximum security' prison before that I would know what to look for, I see that you have barely upgraded anything from when I was here last so that's one issues you already have."

"Now look here you little…"

"Little what? I do believe that my _teammate_ here is offering you help whereas you cannot keep the bad men inside of your jail for more than a month at best. Perhaps if you would listen to our suggestions you might be able to fix that?" The orange princess growled out, her eyes shining a bright green to display her anger at the hostility being shown to her friend.

This time Jinx smirked, watching as the warden began sweating with a bit of fear.

"O-of course, my mistake. We are all on edge after such a large security breach and we would be glad to accept any help that you would be willing to provide for us."

"We would be glad to help, so what do you know about the escape?" The pale girl asked, bringing out a notepad to show her professionalism.

"Approximately four hours ago a group of explosions erupted around the facility, these immediately knocked out all communication as well as our surveillance and most of our major defensive security systems. We were only lucky that the door controls are operated on a separate system and thus all of the prisoners were not set free at once." The balding warden answered, before digging up his own notes on the situation thus far.

"After that we have reports from the outer guard stations that a large tank like device was spotted tearing through the ground in the exercise yard, before opening and allowing a large group of inmates to board and thereby escape unhindered. Thankfully the tunnel wasn't built to be an escape passage and it quickly collapsed after the vehicle left, preventing any further escape attempts. We have since repaired the basic communication and surveillance systems, but our defenses are still on the fritz and we are concerned that if another group happened to find this out they could launch an even more devastating assault on our secure facility."

"I assume that you have already called in the national guard and any local military forces that you have access to in order to bolster your garrison, along with securing all inmates in their cells until all exterior walls and positions have been checked, along with installing underground sensors and barriers to prevent such a thing?" Jinx had immediately fallen into a commanding tone, quickly analyzing and using the escape methods that she would have used following such an event.

"Uhhhh…" was the only response the two Titan females received from not only the warden but the entire office staff who stared at the two blankly.

"Perhaps you should get on that then? If there are any more of the breaking outs then we might begin looking for replacements yes?" Starfire followed up, snapping the various men and women out of their stupor and into action.

 _***TRwP***_

As the two girls arrived back at the tower they were greeted by the other Titans, who had finished shortly before they had.

"Alright team let's go over what we know. Cyborg why don't you and Beast Boy go first, then we can compare notes to see similarities." The Boy Wonder gestured towards the two boys who nodded in response.

"Sure thing, alright well it looks like the inmates were able to escape through a large underground tunneling vehicle. Shortly before it was reported to have arrived the security systems throughout the jail were compromised and remotely shut down. Luckily the situation happened during shift change and the extra guards were able to get a handle on the situation before a mass riot began. No identifying marks, no information on the hacker, and no real connection between those taken besides that they all hated us." The cybernetic man summarized.

"Figures, well ours was virtually the same except for that the power in the facility was targeted by explosives rather than a hacker. In the confusion there was also a drilling sound reported and the inmates were 'rescued' before the guards could respond." Raven read off her notes from the investigation with her leader.

"Same here, except the explosives targeted the security systems themselves rather than the power, also the staff at that prison is a bunch of incompetent jerks." Jinx finished.

"So then the only connections we have is that they were all taken at roughly the same time, all security was disabled during the escape, and they all used these burrowing devices." Robin muttered out loud. Turning to his mechanical teammate the masked boy began a new train of thought.

"Cyborg, has there been any vehic…"

"Nope already checked sorry Rob. Whatever these guys used for their escape it was original enough not to be in any of our databases."

"Of course not, that would be way too easy." Beast Boy groaned in annoyance.

"As much as I hate to do the saying, the use of vehicles and the strikes of surgery seem to be the written name of Slade."

The others stared at the Tamaranean for a minute before Beast Boy translated.

"She means it sounds like Slade and unfortunately I agree. The dude does have a way of coordinating ridiculous crap like this."

"Slade…." Robin growled out, before turning to resume his normal obsessive time in the evidence room.

Before he could make it the alarms went off in the tower.

Cyborg immediately ran to a nearby computer station and brought up the alert status, earning the monitor a glare from the man.

"It looks like we are being hacked."

 _***TRwP***_

"So what's the damage Cyborg?" Robin inquired, while the other Titans sat watching the two most tech savvy computer users work.

"Hard to say, whoever it was screwed with a lot of things but most of it looks like diversions, things for me to waste time checking over. At this rate I will have to do a full inventory of the entire Tower's computer systems to figure out what was taken or damaged."

"How long will that take Vic?" Jinx asked, hoping that her boyfriend would not be staying up all night.

"The Tower's databases are quite… extensive. I am guessing a few days to fully check every piece of information."

Robin gave a loud sigh before rubbing his forehead in annoyance.

"Can you automate any of it? I don't want you staying up too long working on this."

"Most of it yeah, obviously there are a few more sensitive documents we will want to check on first but after those are confirmed we can go about just setting up automation. I can work on this though while you guys try and figure out who the heck has been messing with my system."

"Don't you worry about that Cyborg, but I feel it will be a bit easier to track the culprit down once we know what was targeted. It might give us a better clue as to who is responsible." Robin finished.

"Exactly, who would want to steal information from us after all? It's not like we have a complete criminal database, information on dozens of Super Heroes, layouts of major cities and Titan bases, and Cy's entire cookbook saved on our system." Beast Boy noted in sarcasm.

"OH GOD NO! MY COOKBOOK!" The cybernetic man shouted before quickly going through dozens of different commands on the computer to verify that his precious recipes were still there.

The others sweat dropped in embarrassment.

"Oh thank goodness, mah baby is still untouched." The dark skinned teen gave a sigh of relief before giving the others a thumbs up.

 _***TRwP***_

Two hours later and another alarm went off, this time indicating an emergency communication.

While Cyborg went about boosting the signal, Robin quickly answered the call that was nearly consumed in static.

"C….come in….. any… come in….. this is… of Titans… we are….. I repeat….. Need emergency….. I repeat… Assistance…"

It was obviously the voice of a young girl that Robin quickly identified as Kole from Titans South.

"Cyborg get the T-Jet prepped now, Kole come in this is Robin what is your situation over."

"Ro… help….. atta…..ergency….. I repeat….."

Suddenly a loud explosion was broadcasted over the communication signal, along with a scream, before the signal was lost.

"Kole… KOLE!? Cyborg is the jet…."

"Already prepped we are clear for launch."

"Titans move!"

 _***TRwP***_

By the time that Robin and his team had arrived on site the Titans South headquarters laid in ruins.

Craters, burn marks, bullet holes, and rubble covered ever inch of the once gleaming base, and an eerie silence consumed the area.

The Titans exchanged silent orders before splitting off and moving into the building silently, each team taking a different section of the fortress.

Less than an hour later all six heroes gathered in the once vibrant command center, now reduced to broken electronics and irreparable damage.

"What happened here?" Starfire whispered out, afraid that if she made too much noise that the entire room may very well collapse.

"It looks like they were attacked by overwhelming numbers, even with the defense systems they appeared to have been defeated…" Robin answered his tone was hard to remove any worry from his voice.

"Vic, can you get anything off their systems?" Jinx quietly asked earning a slight nod before the mechanical man began checking to see if anything was functioning at that point.

"It looks like all of their tech is damaged beyond repair. All of their databases are offline or completely destroyed. Even if I could get something powered up I doubt it would be fully intact at this point."

"Get what you can. Beast Boy, Raven see if you can find any clues as to where they might have been taken, or hopefully, fled to." Robin commanded, earning nods from the two Titans.

"Starfire, Jinx, and I will see if we can find any clues as to who launched the assault in the first place. Maybe there is something left behind that can help us."

 _***TRwP***_

"Beast Boy, I can't seem to locate anyone in the area besides us. Even extending my empathy's range has yielded no results... Beast Boy?"

The teen in question was busy examining a spot on the ground, appearing lost in his own thoughts.

"Nothing is salvageable electronics wise, you guys get anything?" Cyborg asked as he walked into the room while noticing Robin and his team entering through a separate door.

"Not that we can find, it's a lot of area to search though and the rubble is making it difficult." Jinx replied.

"Wildebeest was injured here, looks like a projectile impact due to the amount of blood on the floor. Pantha must have ordered a retreat Jericho and Kole were the ones dragging him to safety while Gnarrk held the enemy back." The changeling suddenly called out, breaking the others from their thoughts.

"How do you…" Cyborg began, before the green skinned hero began again, this time leading them through the hallway towards the command center.

"Gnarrk fell here, in the hallway. Not enough blood to be sure on his status though, but he did not die here. The others secured themselves in the command room and barricaded the door as best they could."

"That must have been when they sent the message…" Robin intoned, earning a nod from the shapeshifter.

"The sound we heard was the door being blown open, the shockwave must have taken Jericho out, he was never meant for front line fighting. Pantha gave one last desperate charge and was able to hold them at the door at least for a few moments, but she too was defeated. This left only Kole and Wildebeest in the corner. My best guess here is that she used her crystal form to try and shield him, but was tossed aside while he was removed. Afterwards she would have posed no threat to them." Beast Boy concluded, his eyes frozen on the spot he had mentioned where they had huddled at the end.

"A-are they…" Raven whispered out, not trusting herself to finish the horrible question that plagued the team.

"Immediately no, there isn't enough blood and I don't see any signs of disintegration weapons. It looks like they were taken somewhere else. I lose the trail outside the tower, near some scorch marks that look like a transport had taken off."

"So they were abducted… but why? What reason would someone have for going through this much trouble just to capture a bunch of super heroes but not finish them off at once?" Robin muttered to himself.

"No idea Rob but it looks like this isn't the end of the nightmare. I just received an emergency call… from Titans North." Cyborg responded in a grave tone.

 _***TRwP***_

While in transit Robin had immediately contacted Titans East to warn them… there had been no response on any communication line from the base.

Cyborg had begun trembling in fear and anger at the thought of something happening to Bumblebee although they were no longer together his feelings for the girl would never completely fade.

It was all Jinx could do to calm him down enough to hand the controls over to their leader.

The flyby of Titans North Tower showed the same situation as the southern had been in.

Utter destruction.

"We are too late there is no one down there." Raven quietly commented, having reached out her empathic senses to cover the entire area of the fortress and the surrounding area as well.

"Robin… what do we do?" Starfire questioned slowly, fear laced in her voice.

"I… I don't know… but one thing is for certain, we are sitting ducks in the T-Jet. We need to ensure that the Tower is secured and then head back, if not we will activate emergency protocols. Raven I need you to get in contact with the Justice League if someone is targeting super heroes they not only need to be warned but might be able to provide some clues or assistance. Cyborg can you interface with the tower and check all the security systems to make sure there are no gaps or breeches?"

"Y-yeah I'm on it Robin…"

"They will be okay Cy, I highly doubt anyone went through all that trouble and took them away just to finish them off somewhere else. They were taken for a reason, which gives us time to find them." Beast Boy called out over the com system in a serious manner, as if trying to convince himself as well as his best friend.

"He's right, so at the moment we need to stay focused and figure out exactly what our situation is, then we find out who took our friends and we get them back… all of them." Robin declared, earning nods from the others.

 _***TRwP***_

Upon receiving the 'all clear' from Cyborg the Titans landed at the tower and disembarked, heading towards their command center to piece together some sort of strategy.

Moments later the ship that had carried them thus far exploded violently on the landing pad, throwing the teenagers to the ground.

As the heroes recovered from the shock they were quickly assaulted once more. Dozens of soldiers descended from helicopters that had thus remained cloaked nearby, springing a trap long since planned.

Along with the faceless horde came another group of adversaries, super villains that the Titans would normally require their entire team to combat.

Adonis, Killer Moth, Fang, Doctor Light, Johnny Rancid, Katarou, and Atlas all lead groups of soldiers in their assault on the remaining six Titans.

"Rob we need to fall back there are too many to fight up here." Cyborg yelled out, while unleashing a stream of cover fire towards one of the groups of soldiers.

"We don't need to retreat Cyborg! This is our home and we are going to defend it!"

"We are going to die here if we stay and fight!" Jinx yelled, doing her best to take cover from a barrage of energy blasts from the mad doctor.

"Not if we stay together! Titans go!"

Just as the masked boy had shouted the command a small dart-like device impacted Starfire on the back of her neck, sending a powerful volt of electricity through her.

She fell to the ground moments later, while Cyborg charged over to help her and Raven put up an energy shield to give the pinkette time to reposition.

Luckily for the Titans their cybernetic teammate had activated the Tower's defense systems as soon as the attack begun, causing dozens of sentry devices to begin attacking and drawing fire from a large portion of the assault force.

Unfortunately for the mechanical man Johnny Rancid activated a strange looking energy weapon, short circuiting his circuits and causing the dark skinned man to freeze up just as he reached the fallen princess.

"That's two down boys, six to go!" The pale man shouted, earning a loud cheer from the other villains.

"Robin, we need to go _now_." Raven commanded, before sending a massive wave of dark energy towards the surrounding soldiers, hoping to buy some time.

It was only partially successful as a burst of red energy seemed to shield a large portion of the enemy forces, courtesy of Adonis' new armor.

"We are ready for you this time witch!" The man taunted.

"Now Robin!"

The leader reluctantly agreed, and threw out a dozen smoke pellets, cloaking the entire rooftop and giving Beast Boy time to retrieve Cyborg, while Jinx took hold of Starfire.

Raven quickly teleported the team down into the tower towards the central, and most defensive, areas.

 _***TRwP***_

"Damage assessment, and make it fast team. Those defenses will not hold much longer even with the Tower in lockdown." Robin commanded, while strapping another pack of explosive discs onto his torso.

"My systems are barely functional, whatever it is they did to me knocked out all combat power I have. I can barely walk at this point."

"I am unable to fly or use any of my powers as well." The Tamaranean responded, her voice hollow and emotionless.

"What's wrong Starfire?" Jinx questioned, looking closely into the girl's blank eyes.

"I do not know it feels like something is wrong with my head though."

Suddenly Beast Boy stopped what he was doing, and stared at the orange skinned girl with wide eyes.

"Robin… what did you record about us?"

"What do you mean BB Robin didn't… oh no…" Cyborg quickly hit a few buttons on a nearby council and gasped in conclusion.

"What is it Cyborg, what's wrong?" the empath inquired, receiving a rather nervous feeling in her gut at the reactions of her teammates.

"The scan found something that was copied from our archives, it was Robin's emergency protocols… the ones he created to combat each of us should we turn bad." Cyborg muttered out in defeat.

"Robin… why didn't you destroy those? WHY DIDN'T YOU SECURE THEM FROM THE CENTRAL SYSTEMS!?" Cyborg shouted, turning his attention towards their leader who was busy staring at the floor.

"You know why Cyborg, it's the same reason I created them in the first place. We are too dangerous for these not to exist and we had to have a way to access them should we be cut off from the tower."

"You had information on the other's as well… you are the reason everyone was captured…" Jinx muttered out in shock and betrayal.

Before any more accusations could be made a loud explosion sounded from the roof, alerting the teenagers to the exterior defenses being destroyed.

"Look we don't have time for this. Right now we have to get to the command center and…" The Boy Wonder began before being interrupted.

"And what, wait until they siege us out like the others? This isn't a fight we can win right now Robin, we need to evacuate the tower and come up with a real strategy." Raven intoned with a hiss.

"I'm with Raven I have no intentions of dying in this place." Jinx agreed, earning a nod from Starfire.

"Same here Rob, this place is a death trap." Cyborg chimed in.

Beast Boy remained silent though, staring off into space as if pondering his next course of action.

"Beast Boy what do you…" Raven asked gently, trying to bring her lover back to the present situation.

"Robin, lead the others down to the emergency escape tunnels. With Cy in his condition he is going to need help moving especially with Starfire's powers on the fritz. I will buy you guys time."

"Absolutely not! We are not abandoning you!" the pale skinned sorceress shot back as images of all the previous times he had been abandoned flowed into her mind.

"No you are not." The boy agreed, "You are making a strategic withdrawal. Two of us can't fight right now and they are probably ready for the rest of us as well. We won't be able to make it on speed alone."

"Beast Boy… I am giving you a direct order not to die here do you understand me?" Robin commanded, and upon seeing a nod went to help a protesting Cyborg down the nearby stairs.

"Beast Boy, don't do this… please come with us or at least let me stay here with you." Raven pleaded.

"Not this time Rae. I don't want you being around for this."

The empath was about to question further, but caught the look in the teenager's eyes.

They weren't the eyes she was used to from him. They were slitted, feral, and dangerous.

The boy was tapping into a power that had long lain dormant inside of him.

And she could feel the excitement radiating from his body.

"If you don't come back to me I will never forgive you."

The boy nodded, grinning with elongated fang like teeth.

Raven took one last glance behind her at the boy who was staring straight ahead, as if pondering how best to enjoy his next few minutes.

Then she continued on after her remaining teammates, doing her best to ignore the outcries of her various Emoticlones to turn back.

***A/N***

Wow, a whole lot of stuff going on in this chapter, hopefully I gave everything enough time and didn't rush too badly.

This next section actually gave me a really hard time initially, I had no idea where to begin or what to do afterwards, then the pieces started to fall into place and I am now really excited for the next few chapters.

As many of you may guess this begins the last story arc of "The Roles we Play". I had never intended on this being a super long story but I am glad it went longer than I expected. But fear not there will be much more epic times before this story is all over.

More drama, more angst, and more combat awaits!

Until next time I hope everyone enjoys the story!


	19. Zero Hour Pt 2

**The Roles we Play**

Zero Hour Pt. 2

Thanks for all the support!

***I make no $$ off this story. ***

 _"It is said that the darkest hour of the night comes just before the dawn."_ – Thomas Fuller

 _***TRwP***_

Technically he hadn't _lied_ to them… he just hadn't fully explained how everything worked, how his own powers worked.

He was unable to change the DNA characteristics of the 'learned' forms. Those normal or even extinct animals were already built in, created by nature for a purpose. That left him just his human form to 'evolve'.

That and the Beast.

It was a form that did _not_ exist in nature, a creation of his mind, giving form to the primal instincts and urges that lie just below the surface.

Thus it was able to be altered, evolved just like he was. It was able to be perfected.

And it was perfected.

The Beast was the culmination of all predatory instincts, all of the anger and aggression, all of the power of nature. It was the ultimate killing machine.

Claws that could tear through the strongest of steel like paper, teeth that were able to crush concrete, muscles specifically designed for speed, power, and endurance.

Its bones were dozens of times stronger than a person's its skin was virtually bullet proof.

With the more complicated thought processes that allowed humans dominance over this world being repressed senses that were previously dimmed became a hundred times more accurate.

Vision that could pierce the darkest of nights, hearing that could pick up the heart beat of human from a mile away, a sense of smell so acute that even chemicals could not hide what lay beneath.

Truly it was perfection, at a cost.

In this form Beast Boy no longer perceived the difference between a resisting enemy and a surrendered one, he did not understand complicated strategies or plans, could not communicate with the outside world.

It was designed solely for killing, which meant that in this situation it was perfect.

Adrenaline and excitement long forgotten rushed through the boy's veins like fire, setting his body alight with anticipation.

For too long had he gone without the thrill of the hunt, too long had these instincts been shoved into the darker corners of his mind, left to grow but never acted upon.

Now it was time to let them out.

 _***TRwP***_

"Command this is Alpha team, we are in position over."

"Command this is Bravo team, we are also ready for orders over."

"Charlie team reporting in command, area secure and ready for approval over."

"This is Delta team we have reached the first objective, awaiting further instructions over."

"Roger that, this is command. All teams are free to progress to next objective Operation 'Titan Fall' is proceeding as planned."

Slade smirked behind his mask. Had he known it would be so easy to destroy the Titans he would have done this years ago. Still he did derive some pleasure for tormenting Robin, giving him 'clues' to obsess over and trying to mold him into his perfect apprentice.

Too bad the boy was so fanatical that he hadn't been more useful in the end.

Terra had been considerably more willing to follow him, but he should have known that she would betray him, stupid teenage hormones and crushes.

He had briefly considered the other Titans but none seemed nearly as appealing.

Raven was far too strong willed to take orders from him in such a manner as he wanted.

Starfire would not have been able to understand the complexities of his plans.

Jinx was too free spirited.

Cyborg barely took orders from Robin and was constantly arguing with him.

Beast Boy…

The masked man paused in his contemplations the boy had originally showed nothing but disappointment, being the obviously weakest member of the original five. But then new information had come to light.

The boy was a killer, pure and simple. Not only that but he was slowly showing signs of intellect and tactic that would have made Robin envious.

If Slade had known this early on he would have targeted the changeling instead, used his situation to fester hatred and anger towards his so called 'teammates' and turned him against them. If that had occurred around the same time that he had turned Terra… he could have used them to keep the other in check and under his control.

Two perfect apprentices rather than just one.

Slade drooled a bit before shifting his attention back to the operation in progress.

There would always be more impressionable youth that wanted to act out.

 _***TRwP***_

"Man this place is creepy at night seriously couldn't we have launched this attack like at noon or something?" Adonis whined to his squad of silent soldiers.

The professional killers ignored the boy's ramblings as they progressed through the dark hallways.

All power had been cut to deactivate any kind of alarms or defensive systems further in the tower, which was a blessing to them.

Now if only they could find some backup that wasn't a complete imbecile.

"PERHAPS I CAN SHED SOME _LIGHT_ ON THE SITUATION!"

Speaking of imbeciles…

The mad doctor immediately turned on all of his illumination devices, momentarily blinding his team and lighting up the entire room to the point that it was probably visible from space.

How Alpha team managed to be stuck with the two dumbest villains in the world was beyond them. They were the 'Alphas' for crying out loud. Couldn't they at least get someone useful, or intelligent?

"Turn the damn light off! We can't see anything!" one of the soldiers hissed out.

"AH MY APOLOGIES MY GOOD MAN, BUT I CANNOT TURN OFF THE ILLUMINATION THAT I NOW SPREAD FORTH. FOR YOU SEE I HAVE CONNECTED MY SUIT TO MY VERY BRAIN, THE ONLY WAY TO DEACTIVE THESE MAGNIFICENT SOURCES OF LUMINOUS BEAUTY WOULD BE TO…"

The lights fizzled and spark as a loud thud came from behind them.

"Thank you" the irritated man growled out, thinking that someone had bashed the morons face in and knocked him out.

"Hey somebody grab a flashlight or something off the idiot, at least he can be of some use."

"Uh guys…" Adonis muttered out in shock.

The others turned around, only to gasp as well.

Dr. Light had been silenced, by the removal of his entire head.

"Spread out! Clear the room!" the solider in charge ordered, forcing his men to form into a circle and slowly expand outward, checking the various nooks and crannies of what had now been identified as the common room of the base.

A few moments later another gasp was heard.

Spinning around the squad leader saw two more of his soldiers dead, apparently killed silently as this time no thud had been heard.

"Wh-what the fuck man!" Adonis cried out in fear.

"Must be one of the brats, or something, probably the witch. Alright everyone form up and no one breaks rank, we exist then blow the damn room apart." The commander ordered.

Just as the soldiers formed up into a defensive circle _something_ fell from the ceiling in the middle.

Claws flashed.

Blood was spilled.

Screams echoed in the night.

Adonis tried to smash the creature into pulp, but whatever it was moved faster than he could react. Slicing through his armor like it was cardboard and removing his limb in the process.

Seconds later powerful fangs tore into the villain's throat, ending his life with a sick gurgling sound.

 _***TRwP***_

"Alpha team report… I repeat Alpha team report! Damnit, Bravo team proceed to Alpha's last known location and see what the hell is going on over there."

"Copy command, Bravo team moving out."

 _***TRwP***_

As the group of soldiers quickly made their way through the halls towards the other team's last known location Johnny Rancid, one of the two super villains assigned to them, glanced backwards.

"Uh hey guys are we missing a few of you?" the dimwitted man inquired, trying to count the remaining eight soldiers.

The squad leader glanced backwards and swore silently.

"Where the hell are numbers nine and ten?"

"They were right behind us sir."

"I swear if they went for a piss break I'm gonna strangle them when they get back."

Unknowingly to them the forward two men disappeared moments after the attention had been turned to the rear.

"Uh…. now were missing the two front guys…" Fang wisely pointed out, forcing the remaining soldiers to take up defensive positions.

"Someone is picking us off, alright everybody eyes open, we move slowly and everyone stay in groups of three, no wandering off. Number 4 report our position to…"

"Sir he's gone…"

At this point both Rancid and Fang began freaking out a bit they had went from twelve heavily armed and trained soldiers to four remaining in the span of one hallway.

"W-we're gonna die! IM TOO YOUNG AND PRETTY TO DIE!" the biker shouted in fear as he immediately took off down the hallway, screaming the entire way.

"Damnit don't run off by yourself you idiot!" the leader roared out.

Suddenly the screaming stopped, and silence filled the corridor.

"Uh… Rancid? Buddy?" the mutated boy hesitantly called down the hallway, "Hehe this isn't time for joking man, right soldier dude?"

Turning around to the others the remaining villain found himself utterly alone in the hallway.

"Bravo Team come in!" the voice on a dropped communicator sounded out a few seconds later.

By then there was no one left to answer.

 _***TRwP***_

"This is a bad idea… I have a really bad feeling about this…" Killer Moth continued mumbling as he nervously squeezed his hands together, jumping at every perceived sound as his team continued clearing the empty hallways.

"I agree it is far too quiet. We should have run into some kind of resistance by now…" Katarou agreed.

"Listen, the less of these freak show superheroes we have to deal with the better. I will just be glad once we get the hell out of this place. It gives me the creeps. How far are we from the evidence room Lieutenant?" The leader muttered out.

"Looks like three hallways away sir."

"Right, okay let's just get there and take what we were ordered to. Then we can call for an evac and let command carpet bomb this place to ruins."

The squad, along with two super villains, agreed and continued their journey, until a shout from behind them alerted to one of their teammates being grabbed by two clawed arms and ripped through the ceiling.

"WHAT THE HELL!? OPEN FIRE!" the leader shouted out.

Immediately the soldiers formed two ranks, and tore the ceiling apart with gunshots.

Apparently they had missed though as nothing fell through and no blood followed.

"We need to keep moving, there is no way we can defend ourselves in a freaking hallway."

The others nodded before running down toward their destination.

Before they could reach the first turn another man was snatched up, screaming the entire time in agony.

"Sir!"

"Keep going!" The squadron leader replied as the remaining soldier broke into a sprint.

Another hallway claimed four more men, dropping the number of soldiers by half.

"We are being hunted! Even if we make it to the room there will not be anyone left!" The martial artist called out in a panicked voice.

"Oh man this isn't good, it's like a predator stalking us…" the moth creature whispered, while continuing his run.

"I see the door!" one of the remaining soldiers cried out in joy.

As the eight men reached the location they found the door to be locked down, forcing them to begin trying to pry it open manually due to the security systems being without power.

"Damnit what I would have given to have Atlas or Adonis here instead of a freaking ninja." Moth grunted out, as he and his fellow villain attempted to force the barrier open.

"Likewise, how are you even considered a villain!" the other man replied.

"Shut the hell up and get th- AHHHH"

Upon glancing back the two realized that they were the only remaining members of their unit.

"Forget this! Stand back!"

The bald man quickly pulled out a series of small explosives and blew small hole in the armored door, large enough for the two to squeeze through.

Moth was first, and froze when he managed to power up his flashlight and take a look at the room.

Over a dozen bodies littered the floor, some impaled on the walls themselves.

Blood covered the room.

It was the creatures den.

"K-Kata…" the man whispered out, before turning around to see a frozen horrified expression on his 'friend's' face, his body stuck halfway through the hole the in the door.

Running to his aid the mutant attempted to pull the man into the room, he gave a swift tug, only to have only half of the villain fall onto him, the other half of his body being torn off.

"Oh God…"

Glancing up Killer Moth beheld a monstrous form of the creature standing before him, covered in blood.

 _***TRwP***_

"Report, what is the status of our units?"

"Sir! We have lost contact with all four teams. Delta team was the last to report in, something about coming up from the floor, then it went silent."

"I see how do you wish to proceed Slade?"

The masked man glanced around the command room, taking in the situation before coming to a fitting conclusion.

"Call in an artillery strike, level the tower."

"B-but sir, we still have men on the roof, and there could still be survivors in…"

"There are no survivors. The Titans did not just take the communicators from them and knock them unconscious. Your men have been slaughtered and we have no time for further evacuations. Now level the tower."

The communication officer glanced to her superior officer, looking for confirmation. The man nodded in agreement.

"Yes sir. FSB this is command come in FSB over."

A moment later the radio hissed in acknowledgement.

"FSB here, awaiting orders command over"

"Calling in a fire for effect on target, I repeat calling in a fire for effect mission on target, over"

"Command, are you sure about that? Reports are that friendlys are still in the area over."

"Orders are confirmed, make it happen."

"Roger."

 _***TRwP***_

The five Titans finally reached the opposing shoreline of the tower, using escape tunnels that Cyborg had installed for just such an emergency.

"What is the plan now Robin?" Cyborg inquired, gently setting himself down to try and further repair his damaged systems.

"Simple, we wait for Beast Boy and once he's back we head for an emergency bunker where we figure out our next move and recuperate. There's no sense in rushing in when all of our moves have been predicted so far. Raven were you ever able to contact the League?"

"I had a brief conversation with Batman apparently they have been the target of a political investigation and thus were warned not to enter U.S. airspace until the situation has been handled."

"That's pretty inconvenient timing." Jinx muttered, sitting down next to her boyfriend to finally catch her breath.

"There is no way it was coincidence, my guess is that this happened to isolate us even more. Or maybe whoever is targeting us is already planning on going after them next."

"I would not wish to be them for such a task, I have heard the rumors of The League of Justice and they would not fall as easily as we have." The Tamaranean spoke out in a monotone.

"They are also far more concentrated in strength and number. If all the Titans had been together when this had occurred we would have prevailed as well. Right now though we need to get our team together then find out where the others are…"

Robin was interrupted, however, by what sounded like thunder, as the five teenagers watched on in horror as their home was bombarded by artillery shells.

"Beast Boy…" Raven whispered out in horror, watching as the tower collapsed, leaving nothing but ruins.

"I-I'm sure he's fine… th-this is B-Beast Boy we are t-talking about Raven." Cyborg stuttered out, trying desperately to shake the image of his friend's body in the morgue from his mind.

Robin stared on in shock for a moment before snapping himself together.

"Cyborg is right Beast Boy will be fine. If I have learned anything over the past few months it is that he is by far the most resilient and adaptable of us. He is fine, but if they still have forces then they could be searching the shoreline for bodies or survivors. We need to move." Robin commanded, before turning toward the darkened city before them.

"But what about…" Jinx started, hoping that no one was suggesting abandoning their teammate.

She was promptly cut off by the empath, "No he's right. Beast Boy will be far safer by himself than with us slowing him down. He can track us for miles if need be and he knows the locations of the safe houses."

The other Titans nodded before taking one last glance towards their former home, then moving into the dark streets before them.

 _***TRwP***_

"Alright team here we are." Robin announced as he lead the other four Titans through an abandoned building's basement.

After pushing aside an old bookcase the Titan opened up a hidden door and revealed the bunker located inside.

"Colorful…" The pinkette muttered, gazing at the stone grey walls, ceiling, and floor, the little furniture that was in the initial room consisted of a single table and several uncomfortable looking chairs.

There was also a rough looking countertop and sink with a cabinet nearby full of preserved food.

"The bedrooms are through the hallway along with the only bathroom. I know it doesn't seem very practical or… lively, but this was never meant to be a long term home. It is designed to keep us alive and safe until we can figure out a plan of attack."

"Its fine Robin, better than sleeping on the streets or in a cave. We will make do." The mechanical man replied, walking to one of the chairs to sit down and continue on his repairs.

"There are a few more tools in your room Cyborg, along with an emergency generator. We have a few monitoring systems setup so that we can keep up with the news and the situation outside but I think we should keep low profiles until we can figure out our next step."

"I believe our next step should be to find Beast Boy." Starfire droned out, earning winces from the other Titans at her lack of emotion.

"No the first thing we do is get that damn thing off of you. Cyborg do you think you can help me with it when you are fully functional?" The Boy Wonder asked, earning a nod.

"We should do it now, I'm good enough as is but we need to make sure that she can recover."

Robin nodded before leading the girl to a seat and brushing the hair from her neck, revealing the projectile attached to it.

"Looks like a neural inhibitor of some kind, probably designed to…"

"To disrupt brain activity, specifically those dealing with emotion, I know what it is unfortunately. I helped design it."

"Part of your emergency protocols?" Raven inquired a slight growl in her voice as she did so.

"Yes…" The masked boy lowered his eyes to the floor in shame.

"So we were right then, they broke into your files and figured out how to combat us. Does that mean you had information on the other Titans as well?" Cyborg asked, the animosity in his statement being obvious as he began working on removing the device from his teammate.

"Yes" This time the response was only slightly above a whisper.

"After all of this is over we are going to have a serious discussion about this, and whether or not the Titans will continue on in the same manner… with the same leadership." Raven replied bluntly.

Robin nodded in acceptance.

"Alright then, let's see if we can get our personal bubble of sunshine and laughter back." Cyborg chuckled, returning his full attention to the project at hand.

 _***TRwP***_

"Hey Rob you need to come see this." Cyborg called out into the boy's room where he had been working on future attack plans.

The Boy Wonder nodded before entering the common room to take a seat next to the other Titans.

It had been two days and still no sign of Beast Boy, two days and still no leads on the other Titans.

The television that had been installed to monitor outside events and news bulletins was currently on, and it appeared as though the President was doing an address to the nation.

"My fellow citizens I stand before you today to address growing concerns among the leaders of the world, the concern being our so called 'guardians' who float miles above us in an orbiting space station. I am talking of course about The Justice League. For too long have they been above the law. For too long have they been immune to the rules that we as the citizens of this planet have created to protect each other and ourselves. They believe that just because they are different, because they wear masks and have super powers, that they can do whatever they want, whenever they want. I am here to tell you that today this 'freedom' that they have taken advantage of ends."

President Luthor paused to receive the applause of the various members of the press and civilians gathered before him.

"They have taken advantage of the fears of this great nation, the fears of the unknown and of those that we might not be able to control. They have taken advantage of the fears of the human race but that ends today. No longer will we be at the mercy of those who dispense justice wherever they see fit, no longer will we be forced to appease them just because they are different than the common man and woman. No longer will we be forced to look up at the night sky and hope for their mercy and their approval!"

Once again the crowd burst into cheers and screams of excitement.

"Thus far we have identified dozens of crimes committed by the so called 'Justice' League, crimes ranging from espionage to blackmail and even murder. These 'heroes' as they have declared themselves are nothing more than super powered criminals. They are the next generation of terrorists and mobsters, seeking to 'give protection' in return for turning the other way and letting them do what they desire. This does not sound like a group of super heroes. This sounds like the criminal enterprises of the last century!"

Various 'boos' resounded throughout the room, earning the bald speaker a short reprieve as he allowed the hatred to die down before continuing on.

"As many of you are probably aware, a military operation was executed a few days ago on the organization known as 'The Teen Titans'. I know this decision will be viewed a bit extreme by some but trust me when I say that it was for the greater good. The various Titans were arrested and taken to a secure facility where they will be awaiting judgment on their futures. This is the next generation of the so called 'Justice League' and by taking these necessary precautions to root out any type of extremists we can secure our children's future. To further emphasize why this was necessary I would like to draw your attention to Senator Robert Smith from California."

A man in his mid fifties approached the podium, before thanking the President with a handshake and preparing to speak.

"Thank you Mr. President, my name is Robert Smith and I have information regarding the group of teenage 'heroes' that we have just addressed. You see approximately two years ago my son was killed by one of their members and although his death was briefly investigated there was no progress on the case and instead the authorities were stonewalled by The Titans themselves, refusing any interviews or to produce any evidence in their defense. What is worse is that the case was never even brought to trial for fear of retaliation by the group or that they would simply halt in their protective duties. This is an example of corruption at its highest level! For a group of citizens to blatantly ignore our laws and the consequences of their actions simply because they are different is an outrage! I have come to terms with my son's death and now I simply wish to prevent any further losses of life, thank you."

Sympathetic applause rang out through the room before President Luthor once more took the podium, "Ladies and Gentlemen…"

Another pause silenced the audience as the man took on an apparent gloomy appearance. "I regret to inform you all that during the attempted arrest of the original Teen Titans that they fought back against security forces. In the ensuing battle dozens of brave soldiers lost their lives for the peace and security of this nation and the world as a whole. Rather than risk further casualties, or even civilian lives, our new 'Chief of Metahuman Affairs' Slade was forced to call in an artillery bombardment on the tower, not wanting to give the zealots any time to retaliate against the city or military forces any more than already had been. I can confirm tonight that all six of the Titans lost their lives. Innocent victims of The Justice Leagues manipulations and mind control. But rest assured that these young lives will not have been lost in vain. I have just received the approval of Congress to form an immediate committee to discuss future actions to be taken against The League. Until then please bear with us during these terrifying times and trust me when I say that in the end justice will prevail!"

Another chorus of applause began which quickly escalated into a standing ovation for the man.

The screen faded to black as the cheering continued, with the national anthem playing in the background.

The Titans could only stare in horror at the television set, wondering what would happen next.

 _***TRwP***_

"So what do we do now?" Jinx muttered out following a depressingly quiet dinner a few hours later.

"We must go and arrest this Glorbag! He is responsible for all of the terrible things that have happened!" Starfire demanded, her emotions have finally returned in full force.

"We can't just go and arrest The President Star, even if we could there is no way they are going to put him in prison, especially not if we are involved." Robin glumly noted.

"So now what, we stay in this underground bunker and hide for the rest of our lives?" Raven growled out.

"Of course not, but we need to think this through. Whether Luthor was lying or not his speech now gives us something that we did not have before. The world thinks we are dead which means we can move unhindered towards our next goal." The leader noted, a plan already forming in his head.

"Okay so what is our next goal Rob?" Cyborg inquired.

"We find the other Titans, whether or not we can continue being super heroes after this incident is irrelevant at this time. We are not going to abandon our friends to their fate. We find them, tear the facility that is holding them to pieces, and then figure out what exactly we should do afterwards. Meanwhile we need to find a way to discreetly contact The League."

"Are you sure Robin? It's not like they were our best friends during their little 'trial'."

"True, but now we have a common enemy. Someone who is targeting all of us." The boy answered the pinkette.

Before the conversation could continue a small chime focused the attention in the room onto the mechanical member.

"Looks like we finally got some good news yall! I have been running a program through the net to see if I can find any information on the other Titans and it finally came through. Apparently there has been some emails leaked revealing that several 'teenage metahumans' were reportedly taken to a facility in Nevada for imprisonment. By the sound of it that could be the others"

"Nice work Cyborg, alright let's see if we can get a major confirmation before we act. Remember we only have one shot at this before we are discovered as being alive again and we can't waste it on a 'maybe'. If the lead is legit we need to start organizing a plan of attack."

"What about Beast Boy?" the empath inquired, bringing the conversation and the enthusiasm to a halt.

"I'm sure he is fine Raven, he probably realizes the situation we are in right now and can't risk coming directly to us. Once the other Titans are safe we will put all efforts into locating him, I promise."

The sorceress nodded, focusing her attention once more to her meditations to try and help her teammate confirm the location of their allies.

***A/N***

And so the plot thickens… lots of crap hitting the fan as 'President Luthor' begins making life even more difficult for our favorite heroes.

I hope the actions scenes were detailed enough for everyone. I was trying to go with the idea of a horror movie rather than just raw battles and I think I did okay, if not let me know where and how I could improve.

Until next time I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter!


	20. Zero Hour Pt 3

**The Roles we Play**

Zero Hour Pt. 3

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read my story!

***Nothing claimed nothing earned. ***

 _"If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government. Our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin."_ – Samuel Adams

 _***TRwP***_

"What is the status of Case Grey?" The President asked, directing his attention to one of the few members sitting at the table before him.

"It is proceeding slowly, as you know heroes are naturally resilient to most forms of mental influence, chemical or otherwise. Thus we have yet to fully bring one under our control, but it is only a matter of time. Already we have begun seeing the side effects we predicted." A bespectacled man answered.

"Very good doctor, but remember even my patience has its limits. Do not test them. I want to see a fully combat ready specimen within two months." Luthor commanded in a stern tone, earning a frightened nod.

"Has the rubble been searched yet? I was hoping to have at least one of their bodies be used for autopsy."

This time it was a man dressed in a military uniform, with medals decorating his chest, who answered.

"No sir, the engineer corp. is taking its time sifting through the rubble for anything that might be usable as ordered. Most of the technology seems to have been completely ruined though. According to the reports the tower collapsed in on itself thus crushing virtually everything beyond recognition."

"DAMNIT! I want _something_ to be salvaged from this disaster! I told you to take them alive, not bombard the entire place into rubble! Not only have we lost their tech and six more usable agents but we have taken a magic publicity hit from the idea that we called in a military strike on a bunch of teenagers."

"It had to be done _Mr. President"_ Slade spoke out, sarcasm being the only identifiable emotion in his voice, "We had already lost over four units in the attack, anymore and it would have brought into question our ability to deal with mere teenagers, much less the ones who trained them."

"Which would only have further justified this war, by showing that only six of these brats were able to do such damage we could have easily swayed even more public opinion to our side, now all you have accomplished was making them martyrs."

"I disagree who is there to use them as such symbols hm? The Justice League is already in the middle of a massive crisis, the public opinion already rests with you for the most part. A large majority of foreign governments either support you or have agreed to stay out of the situation until more facts can be revealed. At this point the only _real_ opposition comes from those floating around in a space station."

"Speaking of which how that phase of the plan progressing?" A feminine voice inquired, as the members looked to the woman who had setup a large amount of the logistics and background of the operation.

"As well as can be expected, The Justice League files are far more heavily encrypted than those of The Titans. Their weaknesses will be much harder to access as is to be expected." The chrome masked man answered.

"Then continue as planned, once we have our new force ready we won't need their weaknesses anyway." Luthor commanded before dismissing the council.

 _***TRwP***_

"Alright Rob so what's the plan?"

"Now that we have verified that the other Titans are in the facility we just need to break in, free them, and then get out. After that…"

A few moments passed before the other Titans looked towards their leader.

"And after that?"

"Yeah…"

"You do have a plan for what happens _after_ we break into a heavily secured military facility and break out over a dozen super heroes from government control… right?" Raven tensely inquired.

"Of course I do Raven… I just need to figure out some of the minor details… like where we go and such."

The teenagers groaned in disbelief as they sat on a ridge overlooking the facility.

 _***TRwP***_

Back at the emergency bunker in which the Titans were hiding a lone figure stalked down the empty hallway before noticing a message on the communication system, after acting the large screen the man sat down on a nearby chair to view the recording.

"Beast Boy, I figured you would find this message at some point. We are currently on our way to a 'secured' facility in the Nevada desert which we have traced the other kidnapped Titans to. I am still not sure what they are doing with them but I can say for certain that we are _not_ going to abandon them. I know we have not always had the best relationship and I haven't always been the best leader either to you or the team but I need one final favor from you. I need you to take on one more mission as a member of The Doom Patrol."

The green skinned teenager narrowed his eyes before giving a slight nod to the recording.

"It cannot continue this way Beast Boy, not anymore. With the information that I was stupid enough to keep we are all in danger now. I am not sure that The Teen Titans will be able to continue after this is all said and done, heck I am not even sure that The Justice League will make it through what is happening. Regardless though it has to end here. If it doesn't they will just keep coming back after us, and eventually they will get lucky. That or our luck will run out."

Robin paused on the video, before taking a deep breath.

"I need you to do what is necessary, not what is necessarily good. I need you to do what it is that you do best. I need you to take this final mission, and if afterwards you no longer wish to serve under me I completely understand, assuming I make it through this confrontation we will all be going over the future of the team anyway. From what I have done I would guess that my role as leader will be over with. I just need to make sure that everyone survives, that we have the _change_ to live peacefully if that is what the others decide. I want everyone to have the option of walking away for once."

"What is it you need me to do Robin?" the changeling muttered out to himself.

"Here is what I have managed to figure out…"

 _***TRwP***_

The 'research' facility had been expecting the visit from its commander, the man known as Slade, for some time now.

In preparation everything had been thoroughly cleaned and organized.

Information had been readied should he ask for it.

The 'experiments' had been increased in order to gain as much proof of success as possible.

All in all the top scientists were sure that they would impress the man who had brought them the 'specimens'.

And thus far it had been a success, Slade had arrived a bit later than anticipated, which had given them even more preparation time, and seemed quite pleased with the results.

The tests were going well, some even said ahead of schedule.

In another few months the weapon they had been commissioned to build would be ready.

That is until several large explosions rocked the facility and alarms began blaring out confused, and often contradictory, orders.

All that the 'civilians' knew was that an unknown force was laying siege to them, and that all test subjects were to be readied for immediate deployment should it be necessary.

It was far more necessary than they would have initially guessed.

 _***TRwP***_

For the first time in weeks Jinx felt a feeling of excitement that had been thus far missing in her life as a hero.

Heroes, after all, did not get to enjoy causing destruction and chaos.

Heroes were not supposed to simply destroy enemy forces, causing blatant collateral damage, or put the fear of God, or the Devil, into their enemies.

No, heroes were supposed to be the 'good guys' and thus keep themselves in check.

That was why she had been literally 'giddy' with excitement when Robin had put her on 'front gate' duty.

Meaning to cause as much damage and create as big of a distraction as possible and if there were two things that the pinkette was good at, they were creating a distraction and causing damage.

Waves of pink energy descended upon the perimeter, causing vehicles to explode violently, electronics to short circuit, buildings to collapse, and various other 'bad luck' incidents to occur.

Next to her stood the Tamaranean princess herself, Starfire clad in full armor that had been salvaged from the storage facility deep under the rubble of The Tower.

Her wrath was just as terrifying as Jinx would have imagined it being.

Bolts of green energy rained down upon the soldiers and structures alike, devastating the area. Any security personnel who had found themselves brave enough to try and retaliate quickly found themselves regretting that decision, and attempting to dodge out of the way of blinding green energy beams which tore through the ground and defenses alike.

Despite this the alien girl seemed to be a bit pent up. Their orders had been to maintain a safe distance and not to engage in any kind of close combat, thus removing Starfire's greatest outlet of aggression, her super strength.

Robin had insisted though, he knew exactly how his 'plans' had been designed to defeat each of the Titans and wanted to eliminate any possibility that these could come into play.

Thus the two girls were forced to be content with just bombarding the area, much like their home had been, from afar. Causing destruction and luring out all available forces from the interior of the facility where the remaining three Titans would infiltrate.

 _***TRwP***_

In one of the darker observation rooms a shadow grew larger and into the form of a large raven before dropping the remaining three Titans stealthily into the underground base.

A quick glance around told them that Raven's senses had been correct, and that they were alone.

Robin quickly secured the door while the cybernetic teen went about hacking into the security systems of the facility.

Raven, in the meantime, closed her eyes to focus on her empathic sense, trying desperately to locate any of the captured heroes.

"Found something, it looks like something called 'Case Grey'. Captured technology from Brother Blood being used to mind control… oh God…" The mechanical man froze his eye widening in horror.

"What is it Cyborg?" Robin demanded.

"They are mind controlling the other Titans it looks like they are looking for schematics on The Justice League watchtower. Robin they are going to use them as soldiers!"

"But why? Even Luthor knows that we stand no real chance against The League, especially if they are all in one spot."

"It doesn't matter, I doubt most of the heroes would be willing to use lethal force which means that even if The Titans are only able to kill a few members then it would be worth it."

"That's not their plan… they are going to use them as a suicide weapon, to cause enough damage to the watchtower and drop it from orbit. They want to take everyone out at once while making it look like an act of aggression from The League. If it drops on a city…" Cyborg muttered out in shock.

"Then the world would unite in their hatreds and fears. Any surviving members of either group would be targeted for execution and Luthor would have his war." Raven finished, quickly glancing over to her two comrades.

"We need to get them out of here and undo the effects. But first, Cyborg do you think you can get this information out of the facility somehow?"

"Uh sure, but who are we going to…"

"I am sure that the media would _love_ to have this." Robin grinned maliciously.

 _***TRwP***_

"Sir what should we do? Our exterior forces are unable to mount any kind of defense and most of the above ground facilities are either destroyed or severely damaged, if this continues they will eventually overrun and force their way inside!" One of the scientists panicked as he quickly scurried alongside of his 'employer'.

"Calm yourself doctor, I am not concerned with the Titans on the outside, but rather with the ones who have undoubtedly infiltrated the facility during the distraction." Slade replied in a monotone, almost bored, voice.

"They are inside!" the man felt his blood pressure skyrocketing as he glanced about nervously.

"Of course, why else do you think that only _two_ of them would be attacking? This has Robin written all over it, a pity really. Well regardless I believe it is time to activate our little experiment and unleash them onto their former teammates."

"We can't do that! You know just as well as I do that the project isn't ready, if we send them out too early it could reverse the process completely."

"Well if that is the case then I shall leave you here to deal with your failures. I, on the other hand, have on interest in going down with the ship that _Mr. President_ has put all his stock in."

With that the chrome masked man turned and departed down a separate corridor, but not before sealing it off, much to the horror of those attempting to flee with him.

The chief scientist's two assistants quickly glanced over to him, desperately looking for any guidance.

"A-activate the weapons! At worst they will buy us time to delete the databases and save ourselves if nothing else."

The two nodded before quickly moving down a separate hallway.

 _***TRwP***_

"Slade" Robin growled out, as he watched his arch nemesis walking leisurely down a hallway. "Where is this? We can still catch up to him and…"

"Robin there isn't any time, he is on the opposite end of the base and even if we charged full speed to reach him we could be walking straight into a trap. There are more important things to attend to right now." Cyborg replied, before gesturing towards another camera which was monitoring a room full of large containment units labeled with the names of various teenage heroes.

"Our teammates, _our friends_ are down there. They need to be our top priority."

Robin took a deep breath before sighing and giving a nod.

"Yeah you're right. Okay let's get them out of here and rendezvous with Jinx and Starfire, after that we can proceed to the emergency bunker located in Oregon and hide out until we can ensure that it is safe again."

"Now _that_ sounds like the Robin we know and love." The mechanical man teased before bringing up the layout o the facility. "Alright we are here which means that if we take this hallway…"

 _***TRwP***_

As the criminal mastermind walked through the abandoned parking garage he halted, eyebrow raised as the lights in the distance began shutting down one by one, the darkness slowly expanding towards him from all directions.

"It appears as though someone is targeting me now, how interesting. Batman is still confirmed as being in the tower Robin is elsewhere and would never be so bold. In fact all of the Titans are present and accounted for except…"

The darkness finally reached the man as the final overhead light shut off, leaving the entire area without any source of light.

"I wonder what you will do now." Slade's voice echoed out through the underground room, "Do you really think that removing my sight will give you an advantage? You have adapted to the darkness, trained in it. But you made a mistake in targeting me. I was born in the darkness, raised by it. The shadows are my home as much as that tower was yours."

Laughter seemed to echo out at this statement, coming from every direction at once.

"You were _born_ in it Slade? _Raised_ in it? What a joke, do you know how many animals are nocturnal? Do you have any idea on how many creatures hunt at night? How many instincts are roaring through my head right now? How many ways I have of killing you at this very moment?"

"I can imagine I have killed far more people than you can imagine dear boy. I must say though that this does present an interesting situation. The two of us meeting, alone, I have wanted to speak with you for some time about your role as the 'clown' on your team. Even I was fooled by this act, but now I see the truth. You are like me Beast Boy, a hunter, and a predator. You should come with me. Become the apprentice I have been searching for ever since Robin failed. Succeed where he could not, where even Terra could not. If you do image what we could accomplish, the world would be your hunting ground. The Titans would stand no chance against you. I know you do not desire wealth, no your desires are far more simple, far more primal."

"Pathetic Slade" Once more the changeling's voice seemed to flow through the open room without any direct source. "Here you are talking about submitting to you when you are the one who is being targeted. In my experience it is the prey that always bargains with the hunter in their last moments, trying to hold off death for just a few moments. Why is that? Do you think that it will give you time to repent for your sins? That a few extra breaths will somehow make the end easier?"

"So you intend to kill me then, not very heroic of you."

"I never claimed that I was being a hero right now. In fact due to your actions I don't know if I will ever be able to claim that role again, but that's not what is important right now. What _is_ important is that you are never allowed to leave here. That your threat is ended once and for all."

With that the voice faded, and silence prevailed through the darkness.

It was Slade who would strike first, or at least he would seem to, lashing out at a perceived sound with a cybernetically enhanced punch that could shatter concrete.

But he found no victim, instead a pair of claws ripped into the back of his armor, cutting through the metal in ways that should not be possible.

The criminal spun instantly, sweeping around with a kick, but once more hit nothing.

His foe had already fallen back to figure out a new approach.

Silently the masked man swore in his head for not including infrared sensors into his helmet, although with the boy's powers there was no guarantee that they would have helped anyway.

Once more he heard a slight tap on the concrete. But instead of attacking immediately he held back, until he felt the attack tear into his armor. It was at this moment that he activated his shoulder lights, illuminating his opponent and allowing the mercenary to engage the boy before he could retreat.

Slade struck forward, landing a blow on the teen's shoulder, which he absorbed by flowing with the punch. Beast Boy retaliated with a claws swipe towards the man's face, far faster that Slade would have anticipated.

Thankfully years of experience had given the villain reflexes that would have impressed even Batman, allowing him to duck just in the nick of time and land a kick into his opponent's gut. Leaping backwards Beast Boy glared in annoyance at the counter attack.

"Impressive, my suit enhances me to the point of superhuman levels and yet you shrugged my attacks off like they were ordinary blows."

"My skin is stronger than Kevlar at this point, so to me they are the equivalent of a normal person."

The two adversaries once more attacked, clashing mid charge in a flurry of blows.

Each had a mastery of combat styles that made any potential slip up deadly.

Special Forces techniques that had been developed over decades came into play.

Each grapple was calculated to break bone.

Every counter was designed to paralyze a muscle group.

Even the feints had a purpose to lure the other into a trap.

Neither gave an inch, and both bled.

 _***TRwP***_

The three Titans raced down the hallway, trying to reach their captured teammates as quickly as possible, when they came to a large open room. By the looks of it Cyborg guessed it to be some sort of training room for either weaponry or the other Titan's powers.

On the other side of the room stood the various remaining Titans, with blank expressions on their faces.

Suddenly a voice called out from the loud speakers.

"Ah welcome Robin, Cyborg, and Raven. It is a pity that we were not able to capture you and your friends during the siege, if you survived such an ordeal you would have made truly powerful weapons in our fight for freedom."

"How the hell can you call _this_ freedom!?" Cyborg roared out in response, gesturing towards the state of the others.

"They have been freed of the manipulations of your so called 'Justice League' freed of the emotions that have held them back. Surely you can understand this Raven? Of all the super heroes in the world our information marks you as being the most influenced by her emotions. If anyone can understand the beauty of what we are doing here, of the sacrifice by the few to save the lives of the many than it is _you_." The voice once more echoed out.

"Years ago I might have agreed with you. But I have come to realize that emotions are what make us unique, they are what give us strength when we cannot find any, they are what give us compassion when it is needed most, and they are what guides us when the path is darkest. So no I cannot agree or allow such travesties to continue. I will not stand by and let you kill innocent people by manipulating my friends and family to your own will."

"A pity, well I figured that you all would fail to see reason just as your teammates did. But perhaps once the demonstration is complete you will see the error of your ways.

The various Titans began advancing forward, intending on destroying their former comrades.

"Uh Rob… you have any brilliant ideas?"

"Operation Hammer Fall?"

"I thought we wanted to help them, not kill them!?"

"Do you have any better ideas Cyborg?" the masked leader inquired, already pulling out dozens of various exploding discs from his satchel.

"Not really, you ready for this Raven?"

The empath nodded, before her eyes crackled with pure energy.

 _***TRwP***_

Both warriors stood, bleeding and wounded from their fight.

Both were heavily injured, bruised in ways that would have dropped lesser heroes or villains to their knees.

Both knew that this would only end with one of them walking away.

Beast Boy grabbed the man's arm, intending on snapping it in two, only for the man to calmly strike his face, breaking the hold and following up with a blow to the throat.

The changeling would dodge low, sending a kick to the man's knee with the intent to snap it in two.

Slade raised his leg, kick back and intercepting the attack and forcing the boy off balance.

Garfield flowed into a hand stand, delivering a kick to the man's skull before he was able to grab the limb.

A submission hold forced the teenager into a reversal, pushing himself up to strike at the man's head with his claws.

In an instant the mastermind had thrown the boy backwards, distancing himself from the lethal claws.

Once more the two charged, although with Beast Boy moving noticeably slower after the bruising he had received through the fight.

Just as the two were about to collide the green teenager vanished, forcing Slade to skid to a halt.

Less than a second later Beast Boy shapeshifted back to his original form from the flea shape he had assumed a moment prior, his claws already midway through the attack.

A sickening sound filled the air as his claws tore through the man's spine and throat.

 _***TRwP***_

'Operation Hammer Fall' had been originally conceived of by Cyborg, in essence he saw the need to be able to bring in powerful backup weapons should the team ever become overwhelmed, or they found themselves dealing with another massively powerful enemy.

The 'cool' part of it was obviously thought up by Beast Boy, after all who else would have come up with the idea of "wouldn't it be cool if you dropped some kind of huge mech suite from space?"

Thus with a little bit of ingenuity, and Robin providing the funds to construct a small orbiting satellite, the most powerful weapon in Cyborg's arsenal gained the ability to be deployed any place on Earth, including into heavily fortified underground bunkers.

After holding off the other Titans, who thankfully lacked the teamwork that made them so dangerous, for a few minutes the roar of metal tearing through concrete, rock, and then steel reached the ears of those present just as the reinforced capsule punched through to the mechanical man's location, who immediately leapt back into the device, and donned his improved cybernetic form.

He now stood at over ten feet tall, with armor over a foot thick surrounding him and empowering his already formidable form.

Red Star stood no chance as he shoulder tackled the man into a nearby wall, knocking him unconscious just as a powerful charge by Wildebeest was easily deflected.

Unfortunately, he had been unable to bring the full power of his mechanized weapon to bear. Since most of the weapon systems were designed to be utilized against powerful opponents, such as Cinderblock or robotic armies, he couldn't use them against his controlled friends.

Robin was having even more trouble than his teammate, unfortunately. After partially freezing Mas y Menos with a pair of specially designed discs he found himself under projectile attack by Speedy and Hot Spot.

It was all the leader could do to simple stay one step ahead, especially with little to no cover available.

The few times he was able to close the distance and engage the archer in hand to hand combat he was forced away by Pantha, who had been commanded to cover for her teammates by those in control.

Meanwhile Raven found herself facing off against a group led by Argent and including Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Gnarrk.

For every way of energy she threw at her new opponents to try and disable them the pale girl would form a barrier and repel it. Due to her reluctance to injure them Raven held back much of her power, resulting in several injuries to herself.

 _***TRwP***_

As the former Doom Patrol member checked the body of The Titan's greatest enemy his mind went back to the message he had received from his leader.

 _***Flashback***_

"Here is what I have managed to figure out Slade will be at the main facility doing a checkup on progress. Should our attack succeed I have no doubt that he will be forced to flee, especially if we are able to free the other Titans. I have located the most plausible escape route, which is an underground parking garage which leads to tunnels moving under the desert and away to secure locations. Should he reach any of the vehicles I doubt we will be able to stop him from regrouping. Beast Boy… I need you to eliminate him… permanently."

 _***End Flashback***_

Upon confirming the corpse Beast Boy went about removing any type of technology that might be of use, before walking back into the shadows trusting in the others to get out safely just as they had always trusted in him.

 _***TRwP***_

Raven glanced over to her two teammates, Robin was heavily injured now and barely avoiding the potentially fatal attacks.

Cyborg had knocked out at least half of their opponents, but the strain on his power supply was beginning to show and his movements were now slower, more conservative.

Her own injuries were minor, but if the battle continued as it was they would surely lose.

And then what? Would they be mind controlled like the others, turned on their friends? Would she be forced to kill Beast Boy?

That single thought snapped any restraint she might have had her eyes began to glow with raw power, her normally dark blue cape brightened to a pure white color.

"ENOUGH!"

The wave of energy released from this single command was enough to crater the walls, and tear the floor apart.

The enemy Titans that were still standing were thrown backwards with incredible force, before a bright radiance consumed them and rendered them unconscious.

The control panel which had thus far been overlooking the battle exploded violently, severely burning the man who had forced the heroes to engage each other and sending him fleeing in pain and fear.

Moments later the Titans vanished in a flash of magnificent light.

 _***TRwP***_

Outside the still pinned down soldiers stood up in shock as the two females who had thus far turned their base into a cratered ruin disappeared suddenly, a bright flash being the only sign of their departure.

 _***TRwP***_

Sometime later Robin awoke, startled and on a rather uncomfortable bed.

"Where?"

"Have enough beauty sleep Boy Wonder?" Jinx laughed out as she entered the room with a small tray of food.

"Jinx, where are we?"

"Best I can tell we are in one of the safe houses. But do to _someone's_ hatred of sunlight there are no windows or ways of telling where exactly."

"What happened?"

"Oh wow you have no idea do you? For once you are actually less informed than I am. So is this what _you_ feel like all the time? Pretty cool actually."

"Jinx…" The boy growled out in annoyance, his head was throbbing enough as is and he didn't need any further irritation.

"Yeah yeah let me just take a moment to enjoy this feeling, wow it really is amazing. So anyway apparently Raven decided that you guys were getting your asses kicked too badly and went all 'perfect being' on their asses before teleporting us, and the other Titans, back here."

"The others, are they?"

"Our team is fine, not sure on anyone else though. Currently they are heavily sedated and strapped down for their safety and ours. No telling if what Raven did cured them or not so we can't take any chances."

Robin nodded in agreement, before slowly pulling himself out of the bed, wincing slightly at the bruises that were still present.

"Hey easy, there is no reason to strain yourself, besides there isn't much to do anyway right now."

The masked boy nodded, before gently sitting back down.

"How long have we been here?"

"Are we really playing twenty questions or something?" Upon seeing the glare being directed towards her the girl shrugged before continuing her answer. "Fine, we got here about two days ago, since then Vic has fully repaired himself while Starfire and I have been checking up on you and the others."

"Raven?"

"She's okay, but she was super worn out, apparently teleporting a large group of people and a robotic suit hundreds of miles can really take a toll on her powers, who knew?"

The teenage leader nodded before his eyes shot open in concern.

"Wait, what about Beast Boy? Have we heard anything?"

"Nothing yet, Raven said she would be searching for him once her powers recuperated but Cyborg insisted she stay here for now. Not like she can find him with her empathy anyways."

Just then a voice sounded over the loud speaker system.

"Everybody to the main room now! BB is back!

The two Titans gave each other excited glances before running off to greet their missing friend.

 _***TRwP***_

"Beast Boy you have returned to us!" Starfire happily proclaimed as she flew into a powerful hug.

"Nice to see you too Star, glad to see everyone is okay. How are the others?"

"They are stable right now. We won't know the full extent of the psychological damage until they regain consciousness though." Cyborg answered.

"So Beast Boy how did you manage to survive the collapse of The Tower?" Robin inquired curiously.

"Aww you know me Rob, it would take a lot more than a massive artillery barrage and the collapse of thousands of tons of metal and concrete to keep me down." The boy grinned in response.

"True, but it still raises an interesting question."

"I'm tougher than I look you know, plus you would be surprised how easy it is for an amoeba to escape rubble."

Robin nodded content that his question had been completely answered for once.

"That does remind me Rob I got something for you when I was out and about. Think of it as a souvenir." The changeling mentioned, while reaching into a nearby backpack and pulling out a small box before handing it to the boy.

The other Titans stared curiously at their leader who privately opened the box, staring for a moment, at the chrome mask before nodding and shutting it once more.

The entire time his expression had never changed.

"Thank you Beast Boy, I'm not sure if you realize how much this means to me or not."

"Just finishing up one last mission."

The Boy Wonder nodded before the silence was interrupted by the pinkette.

"So what do we do now? The Titans are back together, the others are rescued, and we are probably considered terrorists." Jinx counted the various points on her fingers as she listed them.

"Now we wait for our friends to recover and let Luthor make the next move." Robin answered, turning his attention to the box in his hand and becoming lost in thought.

***A/N***

I hope this chapter didn't seem rushed, it did a bit to me but I had a lot to cover and I didn't want to have one normal chapter and then another split up weird or really short, either way I don't think it turned out too bad all considering.

So the last major arc is mostly resolved and I figure there will probably be one chapter left in the story, which makes me a bit sad.

Hopefully everyone enjoyed the short little skirmish, and Cyborg's badassery. My inspiration for that came from the second Avengers movie and the Lego Batman game where Cyborg could turn into a giant form of himself.

As for Slade, well I was going to have a big climactic fight between him and Robin but let's be honest here. Robin was never going to beat him and I figured why not have a final 'Doom Patrol' mission.

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.


	21. Curtain Call

**The Roles we Play**

Curtain Call

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read my story!

***Nothing claimed nothing earned. ***

 _"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."_ – Abraham Lincoln

 _***TRwP***_

The results of Robin's "press leak" were not quite what the Titans had expected.

The Boy Wonder figured that it would cause some issues for the government, maybe hurt Luthor's public image and help super heroes around the world just a bit.

Heck at worst it would give The Justice League a heads up on the plan.

What he hadn't predicted was the public _outrage_ at what the American government was up to.

Apparently using teenage super heroes as glorified 'suicide bombers' was one of the things that outraged people on a global scale.

Thus when the president refused to step down, and the Legislative branch refused to even attempt to impeach him the results were less than pleasant for the evil masterminds.

People rioted in the streets across the country, Local and State governments were forced to call in the National Guard, part of whom refused to even show up since they were part of the rioters themselves.

Over a million civilians marched on Washington DC a month later, demanding the resignations of the entire government.

Luthor refused

Even with the military being called in to secure the city the riots went on for days.

But the results did not stop there. The dominoes were already falling faster than anticipated.

Across the globe committees were being formed to investigate foreign countries.

The U.N. was immediately placed under scrutiny for possibly being involved in the horrific actions as well.

The world was plunged into near anarchy, until the remaining government leaders took drastic action and begged The Justice League to intervene and prevent further loss of life.

The heroes agreed, only as far as stopping any potential killings, they would not be involved in any kind of political situations.

Not after the world had turned on them.

 _***TRwP***_

After close to a year of chaos the planet began to settle down.

Most of the governments had been radically changed and purged of older members entirely, the United States being among them.

President Luthor was forcibly dragged from his office and put on trial before being found guilty of 'Crimes against humanity'.

He was executed via hanging the following morning.

None of The League attended the execution.

The various other scientists and military leaders who had been directly involved with the project were also tried and found guilty.

Punishments were either life in prison or execution.

 _***TRwP***_

"Titans, I am glad to see you all recovering so well." Robin called out, earning the attention from all of his teammates that were currently relaxing in a living room type of setting.

"Yeah no thanks to those sociopaths." Speedy replied in a slightly edged tone.

"True, luckily for us it seems that our little 'press leak' has at least put enough media attention on the situation that no one will be walking away from this without some sort of punishment." Cyborg responded.

The Boy Wonder took a deep breath before continuing on. "The reason I wanted to speak with you all is to come clean about a few things, mainly my own involvement in the situation we found ourselves in."

"Yeah Robin we get it, you pulled the team together and saved the day like always, listen if that is what you wanted to say could we just skip it for now and do the medal ceremo…" Bumblebee began before the Titan leader raised his hand to interrupt her.

"No it's not that. During the attack on Titans Tower I realized that the enemy had gained intel on our weaknesses and prepared accordingly for them."

The other Titans seemed to think this over for a minute before Aqualad's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Come to think of it the same happened with us too, it was like they knew exactly how to beat us and counteract all of our powers. Do you think someone has been monitoring us, maybe the government itself?"

Robin let out a sigh before glancing over to his own team and saw them nodding to continue.

"I am not sure about the government's involvement. It may very well be possible that they are monitoring us but I believe the explanation is far simpler, it was my fault."

The various heroes stared at the masked boy, a bit confused as to what he was saying.

"What Robin mean?" Gnarrk asked.

"What I mean is that… Some time ago I developed an emergency protocol for every person in this room, a plan should any of us go rogue or attack the others. These included strengths, weaknesses, and ways of disabling and beating our powers."

The silence was deafening.

"What the hell do you mean Robin?" Speedy growled out.

"Exactly what I said, there have been incidents of other heroes going rogue before. Superman and Terra are just two examples of this. Both of these events caused massive damage and could very well have turned into catastrophes not only for those who were forced to deal with them, but even the world at large. We are too dangerous for there not to be these systems in place. Cyborg figured out that our home base was hacked into and these files removed and most likely exploited some time ago. Since I was the only one involved in the creation of these and their storage I accept full responsibility for this."

Again the teenagers stared at the man who had brought them together, who had given them a common purpose and a common team. This man who had now betrayed their trust and was one of the reasons they had been injured, both physically and mentally.

"How could you do that to us… how could you betray us like that?" Argent muttered out.

"I make no excuses, I did what I thought was correct at the time."

"And now, now that your stupid plan practically turned us into mindless killing machines what do you think? Was it worth it Robin? Making the perfect team like you always wanted a bunch of mindless soldiers carrying out orders!?" Hotspot's volume continued to increase until he was practically shouting at the vigilante.

"I stand beside my original argument that it is necessary, the same reason that people are required to register guns and that information is kept on private citizens. There are metahumans who have the power to lay waste to cities, to kill without detection, and to survive even the strongest man made weapons. What would happen if Superman decided to kill humanity? If we didn't have a plan in place to stop him should he attempt this?"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT SUPERMAN!" Pantha roared in anger.

"She's right, you betrayed our trust. Even if you did develop these 'safety protocols' you should have told us about them. The fact of the matter is that you developed plans to defeat us should we turn evil." Argent called out, louder than before but not quite as enraged as the others were.

Robin sent a pleading glance towards Beast Boy who nodded before stepping forward.

"They weren't developed to defeat us… they were developed to kill us."

A few gasps sounded throughout the room.

"How do you know that Beast Boy?" Aqualad inquired, turning much of the focus onto the changeling.

"Because I was aware of the plans, and to a degree I agree with him. Most of you in this room have never dealt with opponents who were serious in taking lives. We battle against bank robbers and thieves. Sure there are the occasional 'super villains' who are targeting us but it is hardly ever a life or death situation, I have. I have seen super powered individuals lay waste to towns and villages. I have watched creatures tear human beings apart by the dozens. Observed telepaths powerful enough to force innocent people to brutally kill their own family, the fact of the matter is that there are monsters out there that need to have defenses put in place to deal with. Should Robin have informed us? Yes. Should he have trusted us with this information and told us before this even began? Yes. But it still needed to exist regardless of how we feel about it."

The room fell silent once more as the various teenagers thought about what had been said so far.

"Everyone's personal information will be given to them before this is all over, and afterwards if you wish it to be destroyed it will be. Also if The Titans do stay intact after all of your recovery then we will be having a potential change in leadership. Since many of you have enough reasons not to trust me right now I will most likely resign as overall leader and as leader from my team if that is what is chosen. Until then we still need to make sure that everyone here is free from any further influences. Once that is done you are all free to do as you wish."

With that the masked boy turned and left, determined to make up for his mistakes in the future.

 _***TRwP***_

After their recoveries the various teenage heroes had come to the conclusion that Robin's motives for what he did were noble.

But it did not excuse what had almost happened or the lies and cover ups.

With that the other Titans disbanded. Some left their secrets with Robin, under the condition that the information be kept under far higher security than it was before.

Cyborg agreed to take up the task to alleviate fears.

Some of the heroes would go on to form their own groups, training the future superheroes or just continuing to protect civilians themselves.

None returned to The Titans though.

With that the original team was all that remained, with Jinx added in, and although they never joined back together many of the other former Titans remained in contact, most notably those who had close interactions with the changeling.

 _***TRwP***_

Over the years life continued to change for the heroes. One of the most important, at least politically, was the 'Metahuman Protection Act'. It was this that first outlawed all experimentation and attempted weaponization of metahumans. It also established training schools that could be used to comfort the public as well as teaching the, often teenagers, how to control their own abilities and not hurt those around them.

Through these programs the number of 'super villains' dropped dramatically. With a place to go and get both physical and psychological help many of those who would have spiraled into crime and violence instead found places of comfort and training to help them.

It was twenty years after the riots that the first metahuman was elected President of the United States.

 _***TRwP***_

A few years after the majority of The Titans disbanded Starfire had been contacted by her home world, Galfore had fallen ill and it was nearing the time where he could no longer take the stress of ruling a planet. Starfire had been called upon to return and take her place on the throne.

After some tearful goodbyes and promises to stay in touch the girl had left. Months later she had contacted her friends and informed them of her engagement with another prince on their world, someone who she could share a culture with without feeling left out or confused.

Robin had returned to take Batman's place full time and had reunited with Barbara Gordon to attempt their relationship once more.

Cyborg and Beast Boy had moved to the Watchtower to help the improved Justice League with Raven following shortly after.

The mechanical Titan went on to become a full time hero and official leader of the new Justice League, after marrying Jinx of course. The two even had a pair of kids who had followed in their father's footsteps and become scientists who worked with various superhero groups in developing new technologies to save lives.

Jinx had decided to retire from the super hero business after a close call on one of the missions, preferring to spend more time with her and Cyborg's kids and starting a career in the civilian section as a prison security inspector.

Bumblebee had actually moved in with Jinx and became a personal trainer. She was more than adequate with her 'in your face' attitude and near celebrity reputation gave her an edge over others.

Argent took on a variety of careers until she found one that suited her interests, a fashion designer. Within months of opening her first store she had a line of customers out the door and around the block. Everyone from the rich and famous celebrities, who wanted the claim of wearing something that "A true superhero designed" to the typical teenagers who found the outfits rebellious and fun.

The fact that Argent was able to create parts of her production line's machinery herself certainly saved on costs.

The gothic girl had remained in contact with both Raven and Beast Boy through the years, despite the fact that she had moved on and was now happily married.

Raven had been her Maid of Honor.

The empath herself often volunteered at libraries to promote reading with children, despite continuing her 'career' as a full time hero.

Beast Boy never took on the mantle of The Doom Patrol, opting to let that legacy die with his former teammates, even after being contacted by a mysterious man to inquire about restarting the group.

The rest of the Titans had similarly found their own place in society, a small portion continuing on the original plan of being heroes while most chose retirement rather than continue pushing themselves mentally and physically.

 _***TRwP***_

Eighty years after Slade's death found Cyborg laying in a comfortable bed with the, still young, changeling sitting in a chair next to him.

"We sure had a hell of a lot of fun huh BB?"

"That we did Cy. I still can't believe you were able to convince Jinx to keep involving Bumblebee in your little 'game nights' as you called them."

"Yeah me either, that first time though I swore I saw my death in her eyes… "The older man shivered in fright at the memory, earning a chuckle from his friend. "I do miss em though.

"I know it hurt to see them go Cy… but we all knew it was inevitable. People aren't meant to live forever." The boy sadly muttered out.

"Except you eh?"

"I would rather be just like everyone else, being able to go on and see my parents peacefully. I would hate to be stuck in this world forever, never seeing you guys again. Hell I even miss Robin and his 'early morning training sessions' some days."

The mechanical man laughed, shaking his head in the process.

"Only you… I still can't believe that Star and him never ended up together."

"Guess he had more of a thing for Batgirl in the end, plus Starfire wanted to have kids some day and that wouldn't be possible without either adopting or finding a donor."

"True, still though they were the 'power couple' of the team, a shame that Star went back to her home world to find a husband and settled down there I really did miss seeing the girl more often than a few video chats."

The changeling nodded in agreement. Starfire leaving had been the last real moment of The Teen Titans.

"So how are you and Rae man? I was hoping to hear the pitter patter of green and grey feet before I moved on."

Beast Boy just smiled before shaking his head.

"We have no plans for that kind of thing. No telling what might happen if you mix half demon, half human, and whatever the hell I am at this point together. If they didn't inherit our powers we would have to watch them grow old before us and…" The boy trailed off, leaving the outcome to the other man's imagination.

"Yeah I understand, plus I know Raven doesn't want to potentially create any more portals for Trigon to use by accident, still though I always thought you two would have cute kids."

"Of course they would be. Crossing my awesome with Rae's awesome? How could they not be epic?"

Cyborg's chuckle turned into another coughing fit for a few moments before he settled down.

"Well it looks like it's time for that one last rodeo man, just wanted to say it's been fun and... Semper Fi." The man smiled as his eyes began to close.

"Fair wind and following seas my friend." Beast Boy responded softly, before the steady beeping ended, signaling the former Titan's departure from this world.

 _***TRwP***_

"It was peaceful?"

Beast Boy nodded toward the empath as she approached his position at the front of the large windows overlooking the planet

"He earned that much at least, Cyborg had a hard life."

"Yes he did, but so have you Gar." The white cloaked girl noted.

"I suppose so, but I doubt any superhero has had a 'normal' one otherwise we wouldn't be doing what it is we do."

"I don't think I would have it any other way. Without everything in our lives leading up to The Titans we might never have met, I might never have had the family that I did."

"Nah your wrong Rae, no matter what might have changed you would always end up with a family. You are too likable not to."

The girl gave the boy a playful glare.

"Oh yes I am such a friendly person, full of happiness and joy, a big bottle of sunshine."

"Maybe not sunshine but moonlight is just sunshine reflected isn't it? You might be dark and mysterious and even a bit intimidating but you give hope to those who don't have it Rae, you always have."

The sorceress gave the boy a smile, before reaching over and subtly intertwining their fingers together.

The future, no matter how long it lasted, seemed infinitely bright.

 _***The End***_

As I come to the end of this story I find myself with a mix of emotions, happy that I finished it, sad that it is over, elated to continue working on other stories, and anxious to start a new one.

It must be murder for Raven to have these screaming at you all the time.

Regardless it has been a wild ride so far. I was hoping that this chapter would fit into my new 'shoot for around 5k words' idea but I felt it was starting to ramble on a bit and so I would rather have a better short chapter than an annoyingly boring long chapter.

Some of you might want me to continue the story but to be honest unless I threw Trigon in, which I feel is a bit cliché considering he is almost _always_ the ending villain, I had run out of fun ideas to roll with.

In the original script Terra was going to make an appearance but… well somewhere along the way she got lost and meh. Maybe if I write another Teen Titans story she will show up.

I want to give a **HUGE** thank you to all my readers, reviewers, followers, and…. Favoriters? I would still have written this story even with no views but having people actually comment that they enjoy my work certainly makes it a thousand times more fun.

If you did enjoy this story feel free to check out my other ones ^.^

As always I hope you all enjoyed the read, I know that I had a hell of a fun time from start to finish.


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